George and Gracie
by kaleen1212
Summary: Dr. Gillian Taylor of the Citation Institute enlists the help of Chief Robert T. Ironside to protect two humpback whales that she believes may be in danger from two men named Admiral Kirk and Spock.
1. Chapter 1

George and Gracie

Chapter 01

This story is based on the Star Trek Movie The Voyage Home featuring the original crew of the starship Enterprise along with of course the cast of Ironside. I do not own any of the characters. They are the creation of Collier Young and Gene Rodenberry.

1.1

"Chief, are you sure you don't want to go to the show with us tonight?" Eve asked Ironside.

"No thanks Eve. The last two times I went to the show with you, Ed and Mark, I did not stay for the conclusion. I really don't like today's police dramas. They don't resemble reality. I will just watch television and go to bed early. You enjoy the show," Ironside said.

The door opened and Ed Brown walked in. "That wraps it up chief. We just booked Tony Martini. He won't beat the charges this time. Not even your brother could get him off." Ed noticed that the chief had not changed into casual clothes. "You are not going to the show dressed in that suit are you?"

"The chief has decided to stay home, Ed," Eve informed him.

"Come on chief! With all the cases we have had to solve in the past few months, you deserve to play hooky as much as we do. Why don't you go and change your clothes. We will wait for you. The first few minutes of the movie are advertisements anyway."

"No thanks, Ed. Barbara is staying tonight. We will just watch television. You go out and enjoy yourselves. I'll see you on Monday."

"You sure, chief?" Ed gave him one last chance to change his mind.

"I'm sure. See you Monday," Ironside said. He turned his chair and wheeled to the kitchen.

Ed looked at Eve who shrugged. "Goodnight, chief," Ed and Eve said at the same time. They left to meet Mark in the police garage.

Ironside checked the chili. It was cooked. He looked at his watch. It was seven o'clock. Where was Barbara? They had not been together for nearly a week. It was part of the reason he had not gone with his staff to the movies. He could have sat through another one of their silly police dramas because he enjoyed their company but he wanted to see Barbara.

A knock sounded on the door. Ironside wheeled up the ramp and opened the door. Barbara stood on the other side. In her left hand, she held a bottle of wine. "Are we alone?"

Ironside smiled. "Ed, Mark and Eve went to the movies. We are alone."

She handed him the bottle of wine. Ironside wheeled back down the ramp. He put the bottle of wine on the table. He wheeled to the kitchen and brought the pot of chili to the table.

"What time do you expect Mark back?" Barbara asked him.

"Monday morning," he answered with a grin. "He is staying at Ed's."

Ironside began dishing up the chili. "Sit down." He pulled a chair out for Barbara. She sat down and poured the wine in both of their glasses.

"I ran into Mark downstairs. He said you finally arrested Tommy Martini. Do you think you will be able to make the charges stick this time? He has slipped through the courts twice now."

Ironside tasted the chili and smiled. "He won't get away this time. We have him on film killing the grocery store owner. I have that security tape tucked safely away. It will remain out of sight until the trial."

When dinner was over Ironside and wheeled away from the table. Barbara got up, pick up the dishes and carried them to the sink. "Just leave the rest of them there. I will take care of them in the morning."

Barbara could see that Ironside was extremely tired. "Why don't we watch television in the bedroom where we will be more comfortable?"

Ironside agreed. He did not particularly want to sit up in his wheelchair much longer. His back was bothering him and he wanted to stretch out. They both got ready for bed. Ironside switched out of his wheelchair and into bed. After making love, Barbara laid her head on his shoulder and ran her fingers through his chest hair.

She reached for the remote control and began surfing though the channels. She stopped at an old science fiction movie. She could tell from his steady breathing that he had already fallen asleep. She watched the movie to its conclusion, turned off the television and went to sleep in Ironside's arms.

1.2

Ironside woke up to darkness. He glanced at the clock. It was only five o'clock in the morning. He stretched his arms out above his head. He had spent a wonderful weekend with Barbara. He could not remember the last time he had an uninterrupted weekend. But it was Monday morning and another week was about to begin.

He had kept Mark up quite late the previous night so he decided not to wake him. Using the bed frame, Ironside pulled himself up into a sitting position and then got into his wheelchair.

With no major cases on his plate, today would be busy but routine. He and his staff would spend the day working on unsolved cases. Ironside wheeled into the bathroom for a shower and shave. He got dressed and headed back out to the main room. When he entered, he could smell bacon and eggs. After all the time Mark had spent with him, he would still fix him eggs, even though he knew he did not care for eggs.

"Morning, chief," Mark caled out. Breakfast is just about ready."

Ironside wheeled over to the table where Mark had set a place setting for him. Mark returned from the kitchen and scrapped eggs and bacon out of the frying pan and onto Ironside's plate. He set down two slices of toast in front of him. Walking back to the kitchen, he brought back a coffee pot and poured the chief a cup of coffee.

"So how was the movie? Ironside inquired.

"Typical shoot 'em up cop movie with no one paying any attention to police procedure. It is a good thing you did not go on Friday. You would have hated it."

"They don't make any good cop shows anymore," Ironside grumbled. "They just make us look bad and everyone thinks that is how we operate."

Ironside read the paper while Mark cleaned up. By the time he finished with his paper, Ed and Eve were walking through the door.

"Morning, chief," They both called out at the same time.

Both Mark and Ironside returned the greeting. The phone rang. Mark picked it up and announced, "Chief Ironside's office... One moment please." He turned to the chief and said, "There is a Dr. Gillian Taylor here to see you."

"I do not know a Dr. Taylor," Ironside said, reaching into his memory. He thought for a moment and then said, "Tell them to send her up."

A blond woman in her thirties walked into Ironside's office. She walked directly over to Ironside and said, "You don't know me Chief Ironside but I need your help."

"Sit down, Dr. Taylor. These people are members of my staff, Sgt. Ed Brown, Officer Eve Whitfield and Mark Sanger. Now what is it you want me to do?"

I am a marine biologist. I work at the Citation Institute. I am not sure if you are aware that we have a couple of humpback whales named..."

"George and Gracie," Ironside finished for her. "Yes, doctor, it happens that I am aware of it." Ironside said nothing further. He waited for Gillian to go on.

"Well chief, less than an hour ago two men came to the institute and joined the tour. They were dressed very strangely. The one man called himself Admiral Kirk. The other man's name was Spock. I do not know if that was his first or last name."

Ironside, who had been listening attentively, asked, "What was strange about the way they were dressed?"

"Admiral Kirk had on what looked like some kind of uniform while Spock had on what almost looked like a bathrobe with a ban around his head. They seemed extremely interested in my whales."

Ironside smiled. "I don't find that particularly strange, doctor. I have heard that attendance at your institute has gone up sharply since George and Gracie were brought in."

"It has but you have not let me finish, Chief Ironside."

Amused by her reprimand, Ironside smiled and said, "I am sorry doctor. Please go on."

"While I had the tour group inside looking into the whale tank, the man named Spock jumped into the tank and swam over to Gracie. He put his hands on Gracie's head and remained that way for the longest time."

"Then what happened?" Ironside inquired.

"I left the tour behind momentarily and arrived outside at George and Gracie's tank just as Spock was getting out of the water."

When she hesitated again, Ironside gave her another verbal nudge. "And then?"

"Well, Admiral Kirk followed me to the tank. He assured me that they meant the whales no harm. When I said they were messing with my whales, Spock said and I quote_, they were not the hell my whales._ I said I suppose the hell they told you that and he said, _the hell they did._"

"Yes, and then what happened." Ironside continued to gently push her to keep going.

"Spock said something very strange to Admiral Kirk. He said, _Admiral if we were __to __assume these whale are ours for the taking then we would be as guilty as those that caused their extinction_. Past tense, Chief Ironside, caused their extinction. I am worried they might try to steal the whales."

Ironside smiled, attempting to hold back laughter. "Miss Taylor, it is Miss Taylor isn't it?"

"Yes, of course," she answered.

"Miss Taylor, even if they wanted to steal the whales, it is not as if they could load them on a truck and drive away with them, now is it?"

"Well no, of course they couldn't."

"I don't think you have anything to worry about. They sound like a couple of kooks. They could not possibly steal the whales. If I were you, I would simply distribute their descriptions to your security to prevent their entry into the Citation Institute. That will prevent them from doing any harm to the whales. Does that help ease your mind?"

"No, Chief Ironside, it doesn't. They could slip past security and harm the whales. I cannot allow that to happen. I need your help."

"Miss Taylor, my staff and I have a very heavy case load at the present time. But I will tell you what I will do, I will have someone in the department take a look into it for you." Ironside did not really think it was necessary but he needed to get the woman out of his office. He had a lot of work to do.

She shook her head. No sir, I want the best there is and that is you!"

Ironside's patience was wearing thin. He was not about to get involved with an impossible theft of whales that weighed tons. No one could possibly steal those animals from the institute. "I am sorry Dr. Taylor, but my staff and I cannot involve ourselves in protecting two whales that cannot possibly be stolen."

"Then everything you said was nothing but bull," a very upset doctor shouted at him.

Eve decided she better intervene before the chief lost his temper. "Miss Taylor, what the chief is trying to say is that we will see that the matter is looked into by very qualified police personnel. It will just not be this office."

"That is not good enough. She turned to Ironside and said, "Chief Ironside, I went to a lecture of yours at the college about a year ago. A friend of mine is on the police force. You may know her, Fran Belding?"

"Yes, I know her," Ironside said. "She has worked with my office from time to time."

"She said you were the most honest individual she had ever met. She told me there was no one in the police department she respected more. Fran said you find the truth and you protect the innocent. So, I decided to go to hear your speak at the college. The one thing that struck me most was you said that everybody and everything deserved a fair chance. You spoke of a case where dogs were being stolen and held for ransom. Fran said you took on that case without hesitation. You solved it and protected those poor dogs from a fate of death as I understand the dognapper was going to kill the remaining dogs when they found out you were on to them."

"Look, Miss Taylor…" Ironside began.

"No, don't interrupt me, Chief Ironside. I believed in you. My whales deserve protection, your protection. Are you going to tell me everything you said was just you saying what the public wanted to hear? Are you going to help me or not, Chief?" Gillian got up and stood with her hand on her hips, starting at Ironside in defiance.

Eve could tell her boss was softening. Something in the woman's plea was getting to him. He looked into Gillian Taylor's eyes. She was showing signs of breaking down in tears. He sighed and said, "Alright, Dr. Taylor, we will look into it. Now can you tell me anything about this Admiral Kirk? What does he look like? Do you know where he is he from? Is there anything you can tell me about him that would help us find him?"

"He was in a red and white uniform. There did not seem to be anything on the uniform that would indicate his rank, if he really was an admiral and it was not a uniform that I have ever seen before. I believe he was an American. He was good-looking and very charming, about five foot eleven with light brown hair, hazel eyes. He did not indicate where he was from."

"What about the other man?" Ed asked.

He gave me the creeps. He, like I said, was dressed in what appeared to be a fancy bathrobe. He had a band around his head and he never smiled, unlike Admiral Kirk. He spoke funny."

"In what way?" Eve asked.

"It was more his demeanor. He spoke with absolutely no emotion. He was tall, thin with short black hair.

"Do you know where they went when they left you?" Ironside asked.

"I ran into them. Kirk offered to take me to dinner to discuss the whales. We dropped off Spock in Golden Gate Park. Kirk said he was just going to hang out there while we ate dinner. I told him I need a little time before going to dinner with him. But I have thought about it and I don't think I will have dinner with Kirk."

"Why not?" Ironside said gruffly.

"Because it could be dangerous, Gillian answered.

"Dr. Taylor, I want you to keep that dinner date with Admiral Kirk," Ironside insisted.

"But..."

"Don't worry, I will have you under surveillance. We will make sure you are not harmed." Ironside assured her. "Go back to work. We will send police to follow you when you leave here. They will be with you the rest of the day.

"Thank you Chief Ironside. It appears Fran was right about you after all." Gillian Taylor got up and left Ironside's office.

Mark walked out of the kitchen with a pot of coffee and holding several coffee cups in the other hand by the handles. "Seems I remember the dog napping case a little different than Doctor Taylor."

"He did not hesitate to come to the aide of those poor pooches," Ed said sarcastically.

"Seems the way I remember it," Eve said, "he had to be dragged kicking and screaming into that case." She smiled causing grins to appear on both Mark's and Ed's face.

"Well, as usual your memories are cloudy. I assigned what I thought were perfectly capable detectives to that case and had to intervene to keep the case from going on forever and to keep this office from more important duties," Ironside corrected his staff. None of them was buying his explanation though.

"We could argue with you, chief but we will have to do it later since you just added to our work load," Eve said.

"I would think you would appreciate not having to work on old cases. You all seemed to complain when I insist on it," Ironside pointed out.

"Okay chief, where do we start?" Ed asked the boss.

"If these two were dressed in the manner in which Gillian Taylor says they were, someone must have noticed them," Ironside began.

"In San Francisco?" Mark asked in amazement. "Have you been out on the streets lately?"

Ironside shot Mark a look to silence him. "Since they were not traveling by car, they must have taken public transportation. We will start by finding out how they got to the institute and talk to those who saw them. We need to find out if we are dealing with just these two or if they are part of a larger group."

"You said yourself they were probably just two kooks," Mark said.

"And that is what we are going to verify. Once we have done that, we should be able to calm Miss Taylor's nerves. Then we can get back to the real work at hand," Ironside barked.

"I can't believe you even took this case, chief," Eve said, shaking her head. "I think you are turning soft. The woman threatened to shed a couple tears and you caved."

Ironside looked at his staff that were all trying to hold back smiles. "You will find out how much I have softened if everybody doesn't get moving." He wheeled his chair toward the door. Ed, Eve and Mark shared grins and then followed Ironside out of his office.

1.3

Arriving at the Citation Institute, Ironside wheeled his chair into the lift and lowered his wheelchair to the ground. Mark moved in behind the chief and pushed him toward the building. A woman immediately walked over to the group. "I am sorry but we do not have any more tours today but if you would like to roam around on your own, the cost is fifteen dollars per person."

Ironside pulled out his badge and showed it to the institute employee. "I am Robert Ironside. These people are on my staff. We would like to talk to some of your employees regarding an incident that happened today with George and Gracie."

"Oh yes of course. I thought you looked familiar. You are Chief Ironside."

"That is correct," Ironside replied with his usual gruffness.

"Where would you like to start?"

"Eve, Ed, spread out and start talking to people." Eve and Ed left his side immediately. "I can start with you. Did you see the man that got into the tank with the whales?"

"Yes, chief. He was tall, slender, with black hair and looked like he came in his bathrobe."

"Yes, Dr. Taylor gave the same description. Did you happen to see how they arrived?"

"Yes sir, the bus that is outside the institute."

"The very same bus that is sitting out there right now?"

"Yes sir. I remember the number six on it."

Ironside took down her name, thanked her for her help and wheeled away. Mark had to hurry to catch up with him.

Arriving at the bus, Ironside told Mark to have the driver step out of the bus.

The driver stepped down. "The young man said you wanted to see me Chief Ironside?"

"Yes, that is correct. I was wondering if you might remember two passengers that rode your bus here to the institute?" Ironside inquired.

"Well, I had a lot of people that rode the bus today but I will try to help you if I can."

"You could not miss these two. One was a good looking man, in some kind of uniform, a red uniform. The other was…"

"…in a bathrobe. He wore a band around his head. Yes, I do indeed remember them. They sat near the back of the bus. There was this kid sitting across from them playing loud music on one of those boxes. You know the kind?"

"Yes, I believe so," Ironside answered.

"Well, anyway. The guy in the uniform asked him if he would mind turning down the noise. He asked more than once. The kid just turned it up louder. The other guy, the one in the bathrobe reached over and pressed his fingers between his neck and shoulder. The kid passed out. Slept in my bus for over an hour. I don't know what the guy did to him but I sure wish he would teach me how to do that."

"Where did you pick them up?" Ironside inquired.

"Down town," the bus driver responded, giving him the intersection.

"Thank you for your help," Ironside said, as he turned his chair around. "Let's find Ed and Eve. We have a beat cop in that area on a horse. He should have spotted those two." Mark wheeled Ironside back to the institute.


	2. Chapter 2

George and Gracie

Chapter 02

Ed and Eve entered the van and took seats in the back. Mark pulled the van into traffic and drove in the direction of downtown. "Well?" Ironside grunted.

Eve spoke up first. "Every one of the employees I spoke with gave the exact same description of the two men. They all seem to agree that the taller man was wearing what appeared to them to be a bathrobe. The admiral referred to him as Spock. No one knew the name of the man that Spock called admiral. The admiral was not in a uniform that could have been associated with the United States navy. Other than that, chief, no one knew where they came. None of them had seen either man before."

"Ed, what about you?" Ironside asked.

"Same here, chief. No one had seen them before and had no idea…"

"…where they came from," Ironside finished.

"That is correct, sir." Ed nodded his head in agreement. "Sorry chief, but we struck out."

"Not completely." Ironside look back and forth between his two detectives. They came by bus, the number six bus to be exact."

"All of the buses that come here come from the downtown area," Eve said.

"That's right," Ironside said, "and we have a motorcycle police officer in the general area where they would have been picked up. Keep an eye out for one of our boys on a bike."

"There he is," Ironside said as he pointed at the motorcycle police officer. "Pull over Mark."

Mark Sanger pulled the specially equipped van to the curb. Mark turned off the engine as Chief Ironside was already moving toward the lift. He pushed the button that would lower his wheelchair to the ground. Ed and Eve had jumped out of the back of the van. Mark walked around the front, all three of them met Ironside on the other side.

Mark stepped in behind the chief and began pushing his chair toward the police officer. When they arrived the, officer addressed Ironside. "Hi chief. What brings you downtown?"

"Hi George," Ironside greeted his officer. "I am hoping you can help us. We are looking for two men. You could not have missed them if you saw them. One was in a red and white uniform. The other was in a white robe and wore a band around his head."

"Yeah, I saw them. A bunch of nuts," George said.

"Bunch of nuts?" Ironside inquired. "You mean there were more than just the two men.

"They were five other people. They were just as strange as those two guys."

"Tell me what you can about them," Ironside ordered.

"There was a man with a Scottish accent. He was dressed in a red uniform of some kind, same as the other guy. Then there was an oriental man." He laughed. "He looked like some kind of swashbuckler. Another man had a Russian accent. The last guy in the group had a bit of a southern accent. And then there was a woman, a black woman. She was also dressed in a red and white uniform. If it were October, I would have sworn they were dressed for a costume party."

Ironside asked him for descriptions of each person in the group. George obliged Ironside and spent the next few minutes giving descriptions. Eve took down notes. When he was finished, Eve pulled the sheets out of her small note pad and handed them to her boss.

"George is there anything else you can tell us?" The chief asked.

"Yes, two of them, the Russian and the black woman came up to me and asked where the nuclear vessels are?"

"Nuclear vessels?" Ironside wondered aloud. "Why would they want to know that?"

George shrugged. "Don't know. Maybe they were just sightseeing."

"What about the others?"

"Two of them, the admiral and the guy in the robe were going to go to the Cetacean Institute. The remaining three were headed to Plexicorp, for what I have no idea."

"Alright, thanks George. If you see any of them again, pick them up for questioning." Ironside began wheeling away from the officer.

"You got it chief," George said.

When they got back to the van, Eve, Mark, and Ed watched their boss waiting for his next instructions. "Well chief, what do you think," Ed asked.

"I don't know. They sound like a bunch of kooks. We are probably wasting time but I did promise Dr. Taylor we would look into this. Ed, you and Eve go over to Plexicorp and find out what they were doing there."

Ed nodded. "Where can we find you?"

"Mark and I are going to where the Enterprise is docked. Maybe, we can find out why they were so interested in nuclear vessels. You'll have to find your own transportation back to the office."

Ed and Eve left the chief and Mark. They headed down the street in the direction of Plexicorp. Mark wheeled Ironside back to the van. He turned his chair around and backed his boss into the lift and pushed the button to raise him into the van. He got in to the van and started it.

"Who do you think these people are?" Mark asked the chief.

"I don't know. That is what we are trying to find out. They are probably just as we thought from the beginning, just a bunch of kooks…possibly tourist."

"What would they want with a nuclear vessel?" Mark asked.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Ironside said, showing his frustration. "Let's drive over to Alameda and see if we can shed some light on this.

Mark pulled the van into traffic.

2.2

Ed and Eve walked into Plexicorp. All around workers were moving plexi glass in fork lifts or working in various stages of making plexi glass. Ed and Eve watched for a few minutes. "Do you see anyone that looks like they could be in charge," Eve asked.

"What does someone look like that is in charge," Ed asked, making fun of Eve.

"He looks like Robert T. Ironside," She shot back at him with a grin.

Ed laughed. "We better find out who runs this plant." Ed walked over to one of the workers and tapped him on the shoulder. He pulled out his badge and said, "I am Sgt. Ed Brown of the San Francisco police department. I would like to speak with the man in charge of the plant."

The worker looked at Ed's badge and then at him. "That would be Dr. Nichols. He's at the far end of the floor." The man turned and walked away from Ed.

Brown walked back to Eve. "The man we need to talk to is Dr. Nichols. He's at the back of the plant. Let's go."

Eve followed Ed down the main workroom, toward Dr. Nichols's office. "Watch your step, Eve. With all this water, the floor could be slippery. The continued down the plant all the way to the end.

Ed took Eve's elbow to be sure she did not fall. He never could understand why she wore those high-heeled shoes while on duty. He supposed the answer was simple. Eve liked her expensive wardrobe.

As Ed guided Eve down the plant he said, "You know I can't figure out why the chief did not give this to someone else. It seems too trivial for him to bother his talents with."

"You know him, Ed. He's a sucker for a damsel in distress. Our big tough, gruff detective is really a marshmallow inside." She smiled at him.

"I'll tell him you said so."

Eve laughed. "Didn't you say his office is at the end of the hall?"

"That's what the man said. Let's try this way," he said and headed to the offices on the left. When they got near the end of the plant both of them began checking the names on the door.

"Over here, Ed," Eve called out. Brown joined Eve in front of an office that said 'Dr. Nichols'. They knocked on the door. A short, pudgy man with dark hair and glasses opened the door.

"Yes, what can I do for you?"

Ed reached into his suit coat pocket and once again pulled out his badge. "Sgt. Brown, San Francisco police. "I would to talk to you about two men that may have come to see you today. One man was in a red and white uniform. He has a Scottish accent…"

"…oh yes, that would be Professor Montgomery Scott. He came all the way from Edinburgh, Scotland. It was rather embarrassing. I was not told of his visit."

"Did he say what organization he was from?" Eve asked.

"Well come to think of it no, he did not," Dr. Nichols answered.

"Did you ask him for any identification?" Ed inquired.

"No. After the embarrassment of not being told about his visit, I did not want anything else to go wrong."

"Then you did show him around the plant?" Ed asked.

"Oh yes, absolutely. His knowledge of engineering was extremely impressive."

"Did he want anything besides a tour of the plant?" Eve wondered.

"Well yes. He wanted some rather large sheets of our thickest plaxi glass," Dr. Nichols said.

Ed looked over Dr. Nichols shoulder. "What is that on your computer?"

"Oh that, it's nothing. Just a formula I have been working on. Nothing important," Nichols pulled the door closed. "Was there anything else?"

"How did he pay for the plexi glass and did he say what he intended to use it for?" Ed asked the man.

"He did not say what he wanted it for and I did not ask." Dr. Nichols did not offer an answer him regarding payment. He hoped the sergeant would not notice. He certainly could not tell the officer he had traded the plexi glass for the formula of transparent aluminum. That would remain his secret. When eventually he figured out the matrix of the formula that Professor Scott had given him, he would be a very rich man. No more would he have to run this plant. He could retire at a young age and take it easy for the rest of his life."

"Dr. Nichols, you did not tell us how he paid for the plexi-glass," Eve pointed out.

Damn nosey cops, he thought. He had to find a way to answer their questions without revealing the truth. He could not allow anyone to know. The discovery of transparent aluminum was going to be his and his alone. "I don't think I should reveal that to you, sergeant. That is confidential. I am sure you can understand that we must protect our customers."

"I can get a court order, Mr. Nichols, if I have to."

"Then that is what you will have to do because I don't feel I can reveal any more about the transaction. It would be violating our customer's privacy."

Eve was about to say something when Ed put up his hand. "What about the other man. Did he give his name?"

"Yes, he said his name was Leonard McCoy. He was Professor Scott's assistant."

"Thank you for your help, Dr. Nichols." He turned to leave. Eve followed him.

"Ed, why didn't you press him for how payment was made?"

"It is not really that important. We have the names of both men. We still don't know what part the oriental man was playing in this. Let's see what we can find out about him.

2.3

Mark and Ironside arrived at Alameda. A young sailor was there to greet them. "Chief Ironside, if you would follow me sir, Commander Rogerson will see you right away."

"Thank you. Lead the way," Ironside said.

The sailor led Ironside and Mark to the Enterprise. Upon arrival, he discovered they had placed a ramp from the dock to the Enterprise so that Ironside could board the ship. Pushing the chief, Mark followed the young ensign. They were met just inside the Enterprise. His handicap made it next to impossible for the chief to go much further on the ship.

A man approached them. "Chief Ironside, I'm Commander Rogerson. I understand you wanted to see me."

"Yes, commander. I believe you will be getting a visit by two people we are seeking. One man is a Russian, the other a black woman in a red and white uniform. We are concerned as to what they are up to. They are wanted for questioning."

"Chief, I believe we are holding the Russian you are talking about. We called in the FBI to interrogate him. Two of my men discovered a power drain. We sent security to the nuclear reactor and we found the Russian. I cannot get you down to where the interrogation is taking place but you will be able to listen in on it, if you would like."

"Yes, commander, I would like to do that."

"I can't promise you that you can take custody of the man. Under the circumstances, the FBI has jurisdiction. I am sure you can understand the position we are in," Rogerson said.

"I understand completely, Commander. If he is who I think he is, than he is one of seven people we are seeking."

"Would you and…"

"…Mark Sanger. He is my aide," Ironside said introducing Mark to the commander.

"Would you and Mr. Sanger like a cup of coffee while you wait?"

"Thank you," Ironside said. "We would."

The commander disappeared to see to the coffee.

2.4

Ed and Eve walked down the street. They had been walking for fifteen minutes. Ed had not had any luck hailing a cab. Eve spotted George on his motorcycle. "Ed, there's George!"

Ed waved his arms at George, successfully getting his attention. George rode his motorcycle over to the two detectives. "I thought you were going to check the Plexi glass company."

"We did," Ed said, "but we still have not got a line on the oriental man."

"I believe it is the same man talking to Jerome regarding one of his Hueys. I got a pretty good look at him. It was the same guy that was hanging out with the two guys you are looking for, all right. I have no idea what he was doing looking at an old helicopter."

"Thanks George, we will check it out," Eve said with a smile.

"Oh and there was something I forgot to tell the chief. "The admiral and the guy in a robe went into an antique shop about a block down from where you and chief saw me earlier today."

"Antique shop? Thanks, George."

Ed and Eve turned and headed for the antique shop. When they arrived, Ed opened the door for Eve and waited for her to enter ahead of him. The bell on the door rang. The shop owner came down the stairs. "Good afternoon, what can I do for you?"

Ed pulled out his badge. "San Francisco police."

"Yes, sergeant, what can I do for you?" the elderly man asked.

"We believe two men came into your store earlier today. One was in a red and white uniform and the other in a white robe with a band around his head."

"Oh yes, I remember them well. What about them?"

Eve spoke up before Ed could answer. "We would like to know what they came in here for."

"The man in the uniform brought in a very old pair of eyeglasses, quite valuable. He hocked them for a hundred dollars. The one lens was broken so I could not give them what they were really worth."

"Was there anything you noticed about them that might seem strange?" Ed asked.

"Oh heavens, now days most of the people that come in here are strange. Why just the other day a young girl came in here with the sides of her head shaved. What hair she did have left was purple and standing straight up in the air." The old man laughed.

"Yes, but what about these two men," Eve prodded him.

"Well besides their appearance, which was strange in itself, they did not seem to have any money. I believe the hundred dollars that I have them was all they hand. Nor did not seem to know the value of the money they received. They asked me if it was a lot."

"Did they say anything about where they were from or where they were going," Ed asked.

"No. They did not. After I gave them the hundred dollars, they left. I have not seen them again."

Ed reached in his pocket and pulled out one of his cards. If they do happen to come back into your store, would you please contact Chief Ironside's office?"

"Chief Ironside! Now there is a good cop! Of course, if I can help Chief Ironside, I certainly will."

"Thank you," Ed said and then motioned for Eve to leave the old man's store. When they got outside Ed said, "This just gets stranger by the minute. What are these people up to?"

"I don't' know but let's go find out about the helicopter," Eve suggested.

"Now what do you suppose they would want a helicopter for?'

"You know what the chief would say?" Eve asked.

"Stop wondering and find out," Ed said.

"Exactly, so shall we?"

"Lead the way Officer Whitfield," Ed said with a smile as he followed Eve down the street.


	3. Chapter 3

George and Gracie

Chapter 03

3.1

Ed and Eve looked around. Ed spotted a man working on a small airplane. "Let's go Eve, maybe this guy can tell us where the guy is that we are looking for. Ed and Eve approached him. "Excuse me," said Eve. "We are looking for Jerome."

Jerome looked at the two officers and continued working on the plane. "I am Jerome. What do you want?" Ed did not bother pulling out his badge. The man had his head buried in his work. "I am Sergeant Brown and this is Officer Whitfield. We would like to ask some questions."

"What kind of questions?" Jerome asked.

"About a man we believe has been here to see you," Eve said.

"So ask," He said as he continued working.

Eve looked at Ed who shrugged. "We believe you have had a visit from an Oriental man about five feet eleven," Ed said.

"San Francisco," Jerome said.

"I am sorry, what did you say?" Ed asked.

"He may have been oriental but he was born here in San Francisco."

"Well, at least that leaves spacemen out of the picture," Eve whispered to Ed.

"Did he tell you what his name was?" Ed asked.

"Mr. Sulu," Jerome answered.

"What was his first name? Eve asked.

"He didn't give it. Just said his name was Mr. Sulu. I didn't ask for his first name."

"What did he want to see you about?" Ed asked.

"He was looking at an old Huey."

"What's a Huey?" Eve inquired, confused.

"A helicopter. I am sure it would not interest the police." He got down from the small plane he had been working on. Jerome picked up a rag and wiped the grease off his hands. He turned back to Ed and Eve. "What's this all about anyway?"

"We would like to talk to him," Eve said. "Can you tell us why he was interested in the Huey?"

"He wanted to borrow it."

"Did he say what for?" Ed asked.

"He needed it move something with it." Jerome threw the rag onto a toolbox a few feet away.

"You did not let him borrow it, did you?" Eve asked.

"Sure I did. I read people really well. He was honest. We talked for quite a while. His knowledge of flying was extensive. The guy was a pilot all right. He knew his stuff. He did not have much money on him. He could not afford to rent it. I was having trouble fixing that plane over there." He pointed at a larger plane then the one he had just been working on. He looked at it and said he knew what was wrong with the navigation system when I told him what it was doing. So I let him take a look at it. I have been trying to fix that problem for over a week, it took him about five minutes, and he had the thing working perfectly. I figured that was worth letting him borrow the Huey."

"I assume you asked for his pilot's license?" Ed asked expecting an affirmative answer.

"Hell no! There wasn't any doubt that man was a pilot. He knew entirely too much to be anything but."

"Let me get this straight," Ed said. "You let a man you have never seen before borrow a helicopter worth thousands of dollars and you did not even ask him for his pilot's license?"

"Yeah, what of it?" Jerome said with challenge in his voice.

"How do you know he is going to return it?" Eve inquired.

"He isn't. I am going to pick it up in Golden Gate Park later."

"Do you always loan out your helicopter to complete strangers?" Ed questioned.

"That is none of your business. Now I think I have been more than obliging to you. I have a lot of work to do and this is not getting it done. So if you will excuse me." Jerome turned and walked away from them.

"Do you think he was telling the truth, Ed?" Eve asked.

"What reason would he have to lie to us? Let's find out if there is a man in San Francisco by the name of Sulu with a pilot's license."

"Do you want to hail the cab or should I?"

Ed smiled. "Since almost all cab drivers are male, you would have a better chance of getting one faster than I could."

"Sounds like a good excuse for you to get out of getting us a cab."

"I am going to call the chief. Come and get me when you have the cab."

3.2

Ironside finished drinking his third cup of coffee. His impatience was beginning to show. "What the hell is taking so long?"

"You are dealing with the government, Chief. You know what they are like," Mark said trying to calm his boss's nerves.

"We don't have all night. How can they claim jurisdiction when this Russian is in my city," complained the detective.

Mark knew the chief was not really questioning jurisdiction. He knew the government had complete jurisdiction in this case. The Russian was captured on an American nuclear vessel and the FBI had been called in. Mark knew what his boss was really doing was taking out his frustrations on the government.

The door opened and Commander Rogerson came in. "Chief, I am sorry for the taking so long. We have been waiting for the FBI. They have been delayed. They won't be here for a while. Your reputation precedes you. The FBI agent in charge said he knows you. He has given his permission to go ahead and interrogate the prisoner on your own if you would like."

"I would like," Ironside said in a raised voice. He was getting tired of sitting around. He had not heard from Eve and Ed and his mood was souring very quickly.

"If you don't mind waiting here, we will bring Chekov to you." Commander Rogerson turned to leave.

"That's his name?" Ironside asked.

"Yes, Pavel Chekov. Commander Pavel Chekov. I have an idea you are going to find this entertaining with the little we have gotten out of him." Rogerson left the room.

"Sounds like he is a member of the Russian military," Mark said. "But I wonder what he is talking about when he says it is going to be entertaining."

"I suppose we will find out soon enough," Ironside said. At least they would be doing something besides just sitting here. "I just wish we would hear from Ed and Eve."

"Chief, are you carrying your cell phone with you?" Mark asked.

"Of course not. I hate those things," Ironside snarled.

"Then how do you expect Ed or Eve to contact you?" Mark asked.

"They know where we are," he growled.

An ensign came into the room and said, "Chief Ironside, there is a call for you. A Sergeant Brown is asking to speak with you. He said it is important."

Ironside looked at Mark and grinned. "I told you. They know where I am." He looked at the ensign. "Where can I take the call?"

The ensign pointed at the wall behind him. "The call has been switched in here." He turned around and left the room.

"Ed?" Ironside said after picking up the unit.

"Yes, it's me Chief. "How are things going there?" Sergeant Brown asked the detective.

"Slow. What have you found out?" Ironside asked impatiently.

"I am not sure what all this means but here goes. Kirk and Spock went into an antique shop and hocked a really old pair of glasses for a hundred bucks. According to the storeowner, they had no idea how much money it was. They said something strange. Spock asked Kirk something like aren't those the glasses Doctor McCoy gave you for your birthday and Kirk responded, and the will again, that's the beauty of it. It did not make any sense."

"We also went to Plexicorp. A Professor Scott and his assistant took a tour of the plant. They apparently obtained several sheets of Plexiglas."

"Plexiglas? What do they plan on doing with that?" Ironside wondered. "For that matter how did they get it out of the plant to begin with?"

"It seems there is another member of their party, a man by the name of Sulu; I don't know his first name. He was supposed to move it." Ed said.

"Move it, how?" Ironside demanded.

"By helicopter. He saw a man by the name of Jerome… I have the name somewhere."

"Never mind his name Ed, just get on with it," Ironside snapped impatiently.

"Well Sulu helped Jerome repair the navigation system on some plane and he allowed him to borrow a Huey. He was going to use the Huey to transport the Plexiglas."

"To where?"

"I don't know that yet, Chief." Ed told his boss.

"Ed, this Sulu must have a pilot's license. Check into it."

"Already did. They have no record of a man named Sulu with any kind of a pilot's license. I have not been able to get a line on this guy, Chief."

Commander Rogerson re-entered the room. "Chief, we have Chekov outside."

"Ed, I have to go. Keep on it." Ironside hung up the phone. He turned his wheelchair around. The Russian had been brought into the room. "Sit down Mr. Chekov," Ironside said.

Commander Chekov sat down in the chair Ironside indicated. "We will have guards right outside the room if you have any trouble with him chief." Commander Rogerson turned and left the room.

Ironside wheeled slowly over to Chekov. "What is your full name?"

Chekov looked up at Ironside and said, "You look familiar, sir. What is your name?" He spoke with an obvious Russian accent.

"I am asking the questions mister," Ironside snarled. "Now what is your full name and what do you do?"

"My name is Pavel Chekov. I am a commander in Starfleet, United Federation of Planets, service number… "

"Stop," roared Ironside, "this nonsense and tell me who you are."

"Commander Pavel Chekov, an officer in Starfleet, the United Federation of Planets, service number …"

Ironside slammed his fist down on the table. "You are in a lot of trouble, mister. It will go a lot easier on you if you cooperate.

"With what?" Chekov asked innocently.

"With the police, the military and the FBI. You are in trouble with all three."

"The San Francisco police. You are a police officer?" Chekov asked.

"Chief Robert T. Ironside."

"Ironside. Yes of course, Mr. Sulu has mentioned you on many occasions when discussing history. You are one of the most famous and most successful detectives of the twentieth and twenty first centuries. Three hundred years later and your record of success has never been surpassed. It is indeed a pleasure to meet you sir." Chekov put out his hand.

Ironside ignored Chekov's hand. He stared at him; the famous blue glare bore into the man in front of him.

"Where are you from?" Ironside asked.

"Russia," Chekov answered.

"How did you get aboard this ship?"

"I was beamed aboard," he answered.

"Beamed aboard?"

"Yes, it is a process in which breaks down your molecules and then brings them back together in another place."

"Do you think this is funny, mister?"

"Funny, why no sir. I was not trying to be funny. Did you want me to be funny?"

Ironside glanced at Mark. He was grinning from ear to ear. "What is so damn amusing, Mr. Sanger?"

"Well Chief, it seems like you have a spaceman on your hands. He is from outer space." Mark continued grinning.

"No, you misunderstood me," Chekov said. "I am from Russia. I work on a space ship."

Ironside's face was turning red. Mark figured the chief was about ready to explode. "You better start cooperating or I am going to see to it that they throw the book at you."

Chekov looked confused. "I don't understand, sir. Why would they throw a book at me? Is that a custom in this century?"

Ironside could hear Mark snickering behind him. He turned and gave Mark a look that wiped the smile off his face.

"Who is Kirk?" Ironside asked.

"Admiral Kirk. He is Starfleet's most decorated officer. He was the commander of the Starship Enterprise. I served on that ship under him."

"I suppose he is from outer space, too." Ironside's voice was dripping with sarcasm.

"No sir, Admiral Kirk is from Iowa, although he has spent most of his life in outer space." Mark was snickering again.

Ironside now had a scowl on his face as he stared at Chekov. He leaned forward and looked into Ironside's eyes. "Did anyone ever tell you, you have the most expressive blue eyes?"

The chief again slammed his fist down on the table. Chekov jumped, startled by the force of the detective's fist.

Ironside continued to stare at the Russian. "I suppose Spock is a spaceman too. Was he born here on earth or some other planet?" Ironside asked with the same sarcasm.

"Oh no sir. Mr. Spock was not born here. He comes from the planet Vulcan."

Mark burst out laughing. Ironside glared at him. When Mark finally brought himself under control he said, "Sorry Chief. I guess we know why Commander Rogerson said this would be entertaining."

After giving Mark another dirty look, he turned back to Chekov. Is Professor Scott part of your group?"

"Mr. Scott is not a professor. He is an engineer. He's in charge of the ship's engines. Commander Scott is the best in Starfleet. He is known for always giving the captain more out of his engines"

"I suppose the engines are run by a flux capacitor," Ironside said, remembering the term from a silly movie called Back to the Future.

"Oh no sir. They are run by crystals but since we stole a ship from the Klingons, their crystals are giving us problems."

"Klingons?" Ironside asked.

"Yes sir. They destroyed the Enterprise so we had to return in the Bird of Prey."

"Bird of Prey?"

"Yes sir, the Klingon ship." Chekov said. Mark had started snickering again.

"I suppose Leonard McCoy is a Klingon," Ironside shouted.

"Oh no, Chief Ironside, Doctor McCoy is the ship's doctor. He could help you sir. No one in our century is confined to those rolling chairs. He would simply give you a pill to repair your damaged spine."

"You better start answering my questions mister or we will put you in a cell and throw away the key," Ironside roared.

"Throw away the key? You mean you are still using keys on your brigs?" Chekov asked.

"Now just what do you use in the twenty third century?" Ironside growled.

"Why we use force fields, of course."

"Of course," Ironside repeated. Mark was trying to stifle a laugh.

"And just what are you doing here, Mr. Chekov?" Ironside asked.

"We are here to save the earth in our century."

"There is a problem in the twenty third century?" Ironside asked.

"Yes sir. The probe is draining our oceans. We are unable to communicate with it. That is why we are here."

"You are here to pick up a humpback whale?" Ironside asked taking a chance that this was related to Doctor Jillian Taylor's whales. Chekov did not answer but the look on his face confirmed it. "Ok, so you need a humpback whale. What for?"

Chekov said. "I think I have told you took much already."

"Come now Mr. Chekov, how can I help you if you refuse to tell me what you need. After all did you not say I was the best detective of the twentieth and twenty first century?"

Chekov became very excited. "Then you would be willing to help us?"

"Why of course," Ironside said. "So tell me, why didn't you just find a humpback whale in your own century?" Ironside decided to play along with the Russian to possibly get real information out of him.

"Well Chief, humpback whales are extinct in our century."

"So you traveled into the past to get one of our humpback whales? Is that correct?"

"Yes, sir, exactly."

"And just what do you need a humpback whale for?" Ironside asked

"Why to talk to the probe, of course." Mark was laughing again but stopped after receiving another stern look from Ironside.

"And how do you plan to get these whales up on your spaceship?" Ironside asked.

"Mr. Scott will beam them aboard after we build them a tank."

"And then of course you will then return to your own century?" Ironside surmised.

"Why yes, of course. Can you help us, Chief Ironside?"

"Can you take us to your Admiral Kirk?" Ironside asked.

"Yes sir, but I will need my communicator to talk to Admiral Kirk. Can you get it back for me sir?"

"Oh absolutely," Ironside said. He reached for the phone on the wall. "Can I please speak with Commander Rogerson, please? This is Chief Robert Ironside."

A moment later, Rogerson entered the room. "Chief, the FBI is now here. They would like to question Mr. Chekov."

"Mr. Chekov, you will go with the guards and answer the FBI's questions. I will speak with you later."

"Thank you Chief Ironside." Chekov got up and left the room with the military guard. After the door closed, Mark went into an uncontrollable fit of laughter. Commander Rogerson watched Mark and began laughing with him.

Ironside sat there with a frown watching his aide and the commander. "Alright gentlemen, that's enough."

"Sorry Chief, but I warned you it was going to be entertaining."

The door opened and FBI Agent, Sid Krammer entered the room. "Chief, how's San Francisco's famous detective?" He reached his hand out to Ironside who took it and shook his hand.

"I am doing fine, Sid. You have a real nut case on your hands." Mark started laughing again. Ironside gave up trying to control him. He spent the next ten minutes telling Krammer and Rogerson the conversation he had with Pavel Chekov.

Agent Krammer and Commander Rogerson roared with laughter. "You mean there finally is a case the great Chief Robert T. Ironside can't crack," Krammer said between fits of laughter.

"When you two are through, I suggest we discuss having Chekov take us to the rest of these nutcases and pick them up."

"Just as soon as we find out what Chekov was doing near the ship's nuclear reactor," Krammer said. "Then I think we should cooperate with you chief and pick up the rest of them. Chief, maybe one of the spaceman will take you to see their leader."

Rogerson, Krammer, and Mark began laughing again. Ironside sat in his chair with a frown on his face. He grunted and growled. "Get out of here Sid!"

Rogerson and Krammer left the room laughing every step of the way. Mark was grinning from ear to ear. Ironside looked at him. "Keep it up Mr. Sanger and I'll throw the book at you!"

Mark started laughing again.

Ironside could not believe he had agreed to waste his time running around San Francisco gathering up these lunatics. He reached for the phone. He could at least do something constructive. He dialed Doctor Jillian Taylor to find out how her dinner with Admiral Kirk went. The sooner he could get this case finished the better.


	4. Chapter 4

George and Gracie

Chapter 04

Ironside picked up the phone and dialed Sgt. Brown's car phone. "Sergeant Brown," Ed answered.

"Ed, I cannot get through to the officers that are supposed to be tailing Gillian Taylor. She is having dinner with Admiral Kirk."

"Yes, I know. I sent them back to the station, chief. Eve and I took over. They are in a pickup truck and heading toward Golden Gate Park."

"Alright, follow them. See if Kirk leads you to the rest of group. Ed, I want them all picked up. Bring them back to headquarters. Mark and I will meet you there."

"Okay Chief, we are on our way," Ed said and then the phone went dead.

Ironside hung up the phone. He looked over at Mark who was still supporting a grin. "Mr. Sanger, if you are sufficiently amused, do you think you could drive us back to headquarters."

"Why don't we just go get Mr. Chekov and have him beam us there," he said and began to laugh again. He stopped when he saw the look on Ironside's face. "You have to admit Chief, that guy was entertaining."

"I noticed you were amused, Mr. Sanger, but I have more important things to do with my time then chase these lunatics all over San Francisco. So if you think you can stop laughing long enough to drive me back to headquarters, we will wait for Ed to pick up Kirk and his party." Ironside's voice had a no-nonsense tone that Mark decided was not to be messed with any further.

Chief Ironside wheeled toward the door as Mark fell in behind him. Suddenly the ship's sirens went off and continued blasting. Ironside opened the door that led to the deck of the ship. Sailors were running in every direction. Two armed military men ran passed the door as he and Mark were exiting. "Sir, please stay inside. The prisoner has escaped. You will be safer inside." Ironside watched as they hurried away.

Mark began to pull Ironside's wheelchair back into the room inside the ship. The detective put both hands on the doorframe to stop the backward motion of his chair. "Hold on Mark." He wheeled out onto the deck. Mark followed him. It looked like complete chaos. There were now armed men everywhere.

Ironside wheeled further onto the deck. He spotted Chekov running toward the edge of the ship. An armed sailor with a megaphone was calling for him to halt. Chekov ran toward the edge. He had nowhere to go. He turned his back on the edge of the ship, looking for somewhere to run. When he did, he got too close to the edge and fell over the side. Ironside wheeled toward the frantic scene in front of him. Someone was calling for an ambulance. Mark followed his boss to the edge of the ship. Down below, Chekov lay motionless on the cement.

Commander Rogerson and FBI Agent Sid Krammer ran toward Ironside and Mark. "Chief, we are going to need your help. They are taking Chekov to Mercy Hospital in the mission district. Can you provide men to stand guard outside his room? Make sure no one goes in other then the medical personal "

"I'll take care of it right away," Ironside said. "After that fall, he will be lucky if he lives.

"Mark, let's go!" Sanger moved in behind Ironside and wheeled him toward the ramp that would take them back to the van. They took off for Mercy Hospital.

4.2

"Ed, they are turning into Golden Gate Park," Eve said, pointing at the pickup truck in front of them. Ed tuned out his headlights and turned into the park behind the pickup. The park was completely deserted. Ed and Eve were unaware that the Klingon ship was cloaked and sitting right in front of them as it was invisible to them. Jillian Taylor pulled the truck to a stop. A man in a red and white uniform got out of the truck. He was standing at the passenger door talking to Doctor Taylor. Ed pulled in quickly before Kirk noticed he was there. Ed and Eve jumped out of the vehicle and ran toward Kirk.

Admiral Kirk pulled something from his uniform. As he raised it Ed shouted. "Police! Hold it right there. Don't move or I will shoot.!"

Jillian Taylor got out of the truck and hurried over to Brown and Whitfield. "Don't shoot Sergeant! He's not armed."

"Is there a problem, officer?" Kirk said as he turned around to face the two police officers.

"Let's see some identification, now!" Eve called out.

"But I don't have any identification," Kirk protested. "Have I done something wrong? If I remember my history correctly, you have to have a reason to hold me."

"You are wanted for questioning. Chief Ironside would like to talk to you."

"Chief Ironside?" Kirk mused. "You mean Chief Robert T. Ironside?"

"That's right," Ed said.

"Sulu has talked about him on many occasions. He is kind of a hero to him."

Eve walked slowly toward Kirk. She took the object he was holding out of his hand and then removed another object from his waist. Eve looked at it. "What is this?"

Kirk put up his hand. "I would be careful with that if I were you."

"What is it?" Eve asked again.

"It's a disrupter. Just be careful with it," Kirk encouraged.

"What does it do?" Eve inquired.

"It…well…it disrupts." Kirk said unable to think of a way to explain the weapon.

"Let's go, Mr. Kirk," Ed said. He holstered his thirty-eight and grabbed Kirk by the shoulder. "Miss Taylor, you are to follow us back to Chief Ironside's office. He will be waiting for us there. Eve and Ed led Admiral Kirk back to Ed's Ford. "Eve, you drive. I'll sit in the back with Mr. Kirk."

Eve got behind the wheel as Ed opened the back door. He pushed Kirk in the back and slid in beside him. Eve started up the vehicle, put the car in drive and drove out of Golden Gate Park.

Kirk turned and looked at Ed Brown. "You have to let me go. You don't understand the importance of what I am here for."

"That will be up to Chief Ironside." Brown said.

Jim Kirk tried to remember what Sulu had said about Robert Ironside. He knew that he had been a highly successful police detective whose record of arrest and conviction was unequaled by any detective before or since. He was said to be a gruff, tough man who was known for his deductive abilities. Other than that, Kirk could not remember anything else about him except that he had been shot by a sniper. That bullet put him in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. How was he going to convince Ironside to let him go? He could not tell him the truth and if what he had learned about him from Sulu, he would know if they made up a story. Kirk could only wait and meet Ironside. Hopefully, he could find a way to reason with him.

4.3

The doctor came out of the treatment room. He approached Ironside. "Chief, it doesn't look good. We are going to have to operate in the morning. Quite frankly, I don't think he will make it."

"I will have two officers stay outside his room. We will have them relieved in the morning while you are doing the surgery. If Chekov makes it, we'll keep him guarded around the clock until the navy and the FBI decide what to do with him."

Two officers in uniform approached Ironside. "Chief, we are reporting for duty. What do you want us to do?"

"You are guarding the Russian in this room. No one is allowed in except medical personnel. If anyone tries to get in that room, hold them and call me. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir," both officers said.

"Mark, let's get back to the office." Sanger wheeled the chief out of the hospital. After Ironside was lifted into the van by the lift, Mark got behind the wheel and drove the vehicle back to headquarters.

4.4

James T. Kirk sat at the table in Ironside's office. He knew the transporter on the Klingon Bird of Prey was having problems. Only Uhura had returned from the naval vessel. Chekov had been left behind. He could not believe he was sitting in this police officer's office when his own world was waiting for him to save it. Gillian had revealed that the humpback whales, George and Gracie were being shipped out tomorrow at noon. If he did not act quickly those whales could slip through their hands. He needed to check and supervise the building of the whale tank. He needed to know where Chekov was. He would need their help in returning to the ship. He looked over at Gillian who sat drinking coffee. He had taken a chance and she had turned him over to the police. He should not have told her as much as he did. He should have known that she would think him crazy. After all, all of the technology of his own century would indeed be the makings of a science fiction movie in this one. Kirk had read that this culture filmed people making believe they were someone else, in many cases things that did not even exist in their society, much like the Shakespeare plays that he brought aboard the Enterprise to entertain his crew. How could he ever hope to convince this policeman, Chief Ironside that the very existence of earth depended on the success of his mission? He could only hope that if Scotty and Spock were unable to locate him, they would go ahead, beam the whales aboard the ship and leave without both him and Chekov. After all, the needs of the many outweighed the needs of the one or two in this case.

Admiral Kirk looked around the room. This looked more like a living quarters than it did an office. The floors were a beautiful wood that was never seen in his century. There were several tables and two desks that might indicate that it was an office but it had a kitchen and the feel that someone actually lived here. He noticed the long ramp that went from the higher level of the entry way to the lower level of the office. What had Sulu told him? Robert Ironside had been shot by a sniper and as a result was confined in a wheelchair for rest of his life. Still the man continued as a special consultant to the police department and became a legend in the criminal detection. He had to be a man that could be reasoned with. Kirk could not believe Sulu's description of him. He had an image of a small man wearing round glasses, with a mild mannered temperament. Yet he had to be man of authority. He had to be a man who was patient, willing to listen to even the wildest theories. Yes, he was sure he could handle this Chief Ironside.

"Sgt. Brown?" Kirk called out to the officer who seemed to be in charge.

Brown turned toward Kirk. He held a cup of coffee in his hand. "Yes."

"When are you expecting Chief Ironside to return to the office?" The office door burst open and Ironside wheeled in. Mark Sanger followed close behind him.

"Right now," Ed said as he watched his boss wheel down the ramp, slowing his progress as he went.

Ironside wheeled over to the table where Kirk was sitting. He stared at the man for a moment without saying a word. He was indeed wearing some type of uniform. He looked for some insignia that might reveal a rank. Then Ironside shook his head. That was a silly, Ironside silently scolded himself. This man was not a member of any branch of the U.S. military and this was not a military uniform, at least not from this country. Yet, he definitely had the air of authority about him. Ironside again condemned his thoughts. This man was a nut! "He turned to Gillian Taylor. "Doctor, you may go home. I will contact you later."

Gillian hesitated but got up and left Ironside's office.

Kirk scrutinized the man in the wheel chair. _Well, _Kirk thought_, this man could not exactly be described as small. If fact, he was downright big_. Kirk looked at the size of his hands which were probably twice the size of his own. He was broad shouldered with a huge chest. He had a frown on his face as he stared back at Kirk. Kirk could not help but notice his large, deep blue, piercing eyes They were almost hypnotic and he did not wear glasses. _Looks can be deceiving_, Kirk thought. _I bet the man has a high pitched, squeaky voice._

"My name is Ironside," the chief said in a gruff no-nonsense voice, as he stared in Kirk's hazel eyes. "Who are you?"

_Well, so much for the high squeaky voice, _Kirk thought. His voice was deep, almost melodic but it did not sound mild mannered. _Maybe… this was not going to be as easy as I thought_. "I am James T. Kirk," he answered the big detective without offering anything else.

"Where are you from, Mr. Kirk or should I call you Admiral Kirk?" Ironside growled.

_Ut oh, he already knows more than he should_. "Why don't you call me Jim? Can I call you Robert or would you prefer Bob," Kirk asked with a smile. _Maybe I can charm the man._

"I prefer Chief Ironside," he said in a grumpy tone.

_Oh boy…was there anything I got right about this man? _"Alright, Chief Ironside it is," Kirk said.

"Where are you from?" Ironside repeated.

"Iowa."

"You are not going to tell me you are from outerspace?" Ironiside said with a tone that was challenging.

"No sir, I am not from outspace. I am from Iowa." Kirk smiled at Ironside who ignored it.

"And who do you work for?"

"A company called Starfleet."

"Yes, I have heard. The United Federation of Planets." Ironside said sarcastically.

_Damn, How did he know that? I did not tell Gillian that. _"If you say so, Chief."

"I don't say so, Mr. Kirk. Your Commander Pavel Chekov said so."

Kirk could not hide his suprise. "You have Chekov?"

"That's right, Mr. Kirk. Let me see now. You are an Admiral in Starfleet, the United Federation of Planets. You have come back in time from the twenty-third century to bring two humpback whales from our century to yours to talk to a probe." Ironside made no attempt to control the sarcasim in his voice. Ed and Eve looked at their boss with disbelief. Mark was snickering.

Kirk again smiled. "I imagine that sounds a bit ridiculous to you."

"No, of course not," Ironside said as if Kirk's suggestion never crossed his mind. "Why don't we stop the nonsense and you tell me what you are doing here. You are in trouble, Mr. Kirk. What was Chekov doing on a nuclear powered ship?"

"What did he tell you?" Kirk asked.

"He didn't. So suppose you tell me."

_Oh what the hell, _Kirk thought. "He was there to collect photons from the nuclear reactor?"

"And just what do you need them for?"

"To re-crystalize the dilithium crystals."

"And you need those for?" Ironside asked.

"To power our ship."

"Your spaceship?" Ironside asked again.

"Yes." Kirk could see Ironside did not believe a word. The young black man was laughing.

"Take us to your leader," Mark said. Eve and Ed were supporting grins.

"But I am the leader," Kirk said. Mark started laughing. Ironside turned his head and stared at his aide. Mark quit laughing but could not supress the grin.

"What was Spock doing in the whale tank?" Ironside asked.

"He was trying to communicate with George and Gracie."

"Do you want to tell just exactly how he planned on doing that?"

"A mind meld," Kirk said.

"A mind meld?" Ironside inquired?

"Yes, but you would not understand," Kirk said.

"Try me." Ironside stared at Kirk and waited.

"Well he does by placing his hands on one's temples. He can then read their thoughts and they can read his."

"Why don't you show me, Mr. Kirk." Ironside said.

"I can't," Kirk said, bitting his lip.

"Why not?" Ironside voice had not lost any of it's sarcasim.

"Because I am not a Vulcan."

"What is a Vulcan?" Ed asked.

"Someone from the planet Vulcan," Mark explained while snickering. "We are dealing with people from outerspace." Ed and Eve both attempted to hold back from laughing as they knew Ironside was irrated and in a sour mood.

"Mr. Kirk, I would suggest you stop this ridiculous serade and tell us what you are really doing here," Ironside said raising his voice.

"I am here to take two humpback whales back to the twenty-third century in order for them to communicate with the probe that is draining our oceans. If you do not let me go, Chief Ironside, you will be responsible for the destruction of the earth. Do you want that on your conscience?"

"I'll live with it," Ironside said. He picked up the communicator and the Klingon disruptor. "What are these things?" Ironside pointed the disruptor at Kirk.

"Chief, I would be careful with that thing," Kirk said as he reached up slowly. He used his index finger to move the disruptor so that it was not pointing at him. He pointed at the communicator and said, "This is how we communicate with the ship and the disruptor is a weapon. Guns are no longer used in our century."

"Of course not. Why would you use something so obsolete? So this is a ray gun?" Ironside said with the same sarcasim.

"Well, that is the general idea. We call them phasers. Klingons call them disruptors." He glanced at the setting. The disruptor was set to stun.

The door to the office opened and Commissioner Randall came in. He walked down the ramp and headed straight to Ironside. "Bob, I need to talk to you."

"Not now Dennis." Ironside snarled.

"Now Bob." Randall insisted.

"Make it fast, Dennis. I am busy."

"I just got a call from the Department of Defense. They told me you interrogated a man by the name of Pavel Chevok who was apprehended on the Enterprise. Where is he?"

"In the hospital," Ironside said. "I have a police guard watching his room." Kirk turned her head quickly from Randall to Ironside.

"What's the matter with him?" Kirk asked.

"He fell off the deck of the Enterprise to the cement dock below." Ironside told Kirk.

"Bob, the Defense Department wants to know what your investigation has uncovered." Randall said.

"How bad is hurt?" Kirks said, ignoring Randall.

Randall looked at Kirk. "Who is this man?"

"James T. Kirk, an admiral in Starfleet, the United Federation of Planets," Ironside said, looking at Randall with a straight face.

"That's not funny Bob. This is serious. I have the Defense Department breathing down my neck." Mark, Eve and Ed watched Randall and Ironside with smiles on their faces.

"What are you doing about finding the man Chekov was taking orders from?"

"I found him."

"Was this a prank ? Are we dealing with kids?" Randall asked.

Ironside continued to look at Randall, his expression serious. "I don't think so."

"How do you know?"

"Chekov can not even be considered a kid. In fact he won't be born for another three hundred years." Mark, Ed and Eve started laughing.

"What's going on here Bob?" Randall demanded.

"We are saving the earth," Ironside said. His frustration with Kirk's silly story had him ready to explode. He did not need Dennis in here trying to apply pressure on him because pressure was being applied on him by the Defense Department. Why couldn't all these people just realize they were dealing with mental cases?

"That's enough Bob! Now what is going on and who is this man?" Randall demanded again.

"Commissioner, I told you he is James T. Kirk," Ironside said, his voice rising, "an admiral in Starfleet, the United Federation of Planets. Admiral Kirk came from the future to get two humpback whales to take back with him so that they can tell a probe that is vaporizing the oceans to go to hell." Ironside's face never changed from the serious expression he displayed. Mark was laughing again uncontrolably. Ed and Eve who had been barely controling themselves could no longer help it. Mark's laughter had become contagious. They were laughing right along with him.

"Bob, I am serious! The Defense Department wants to know what Chekov was doing near the nuclear reactor."

"He was collecting photons to re-crystalize the flux capasitor," Ironside snapped at Randall.

"Actually," Kirk said, "they are to re-crysalize the dilithim crystals. What is a flux capasitor?"

Ironside looked at Kirk and said, "Shut up, Kirk." Turning back to Randall he snarled. "Dennis, I have a splitting headache. I've got two nutcases on my hands and you are getting on my nerves. Now, if you don't stop bothering me," he said, picking up the disruptor, "I am going to shoot you with this ray gun."

"Chief, I would not recommend you do that," Kirk said with a worried look.

Ironside was losing his temper. "Oh why not, Admiral. Could it be that nothing would happen and then you would have to explain why?"

"You will just have to take my word for it Chief Ironside."

"THE HELL I DO!" Ironside roared.

"Bob! I demand you tell me what is going on with this investigation…" Randall started to say.

"Commissioner, I swear I am going to use Kirk's ray gun."

"Oh, Bob! This is ridiculous. Go ahead."

"I warned you, Dennis." Ironside was so frustrated, he picked up the disruptor, pointed it at his boss and pressed the button. A laser beam shot out from the disruptor and hit Commissioner Randall, who started to fall. Ed and Mark raced to him and lowered him into a chair.

Eve's looked shocked as Ed checked Randall's pulse and breathing. "He's fine, Chief. Just knocked out."

Ironside's expression never changed. He looked at Randall and than at the disruptor. Kirk ran his hand down his face. "I told you to be careful with that thing, Chief."

"What happened to him?" Ironside shouted.

"You stunned him. It just puts him to sleep. He will awake in about an hour, " Kirk told him. "Now do you believe me?"

"I'll tell you what I believe. Your man Chekov, a Russian, was arrested on a nuclear powered vessel and you just shot the commissioner with some kind of laser gun…"

"Actually, you shot him," Kirk corrected Ironside.

"ENOUGH!" Ironside bellowed. "NOW YOU ARE GOING TO STOP THIS SPACEMAN NONSENSE AND TELL ME WHAT THE HELL YOU AND YOUR PEOPLE ARE UP TO OR I AM THOWING YOU IN A CELL DOWNSTAIRS!" When Kirk attempted to say something, Ironside yelled. "NO WE DO NOT USE FORCE FIELDS, JUST GOOD OLD FASHION KEYS!"

"Really?" Kirk said suprised.

"ED, GET HIM THE HELL OUT OF HERE. LOCK HIM UP. MAYBE A FEW HOURS IN A CELL WILL CHANGE HIS STORY."

"Cell? You still call the brig a cell?" Kirk said suprised.

"OUT!" Ironside roared.

Sgt. Brown lead Admiral Kirk up the ramp and out of the office.

"Chief, shouldn't we lay the commissioner down on the couch?" Mark asked.

"Go ahead," Ironside said. "Eve, get me a glass of bourbon and a couple asprins,"

Eve went in to the kitchen, and brought back a glass, a bottle of bourbon and two asprins. She set the glass down in front of Ironside. After filling the glass, she handed the asprins to him. When she picked up the bottle and turned to take it back to the kitchen, Ironside growled, "Leave it." Eve set the bottle back down.

They watched Mark moved the commissioner to the couch and return to the table. "Chief, you knocked out your boss," he said with a grin.

"I never layed a hand on him," Ironside said, taking a swig of bourbon. He glanced over at him and said, "Besides, I did him a favor."

Eve looked at him incredously. "A favor?"

Ironside glanced at his friend on the couch and then back at Mark and Eve. "He no longer is worrying about the Defense Department."

Eve Mark looked at Ironside who had a twinkle in his expressive blue eyes. All three of them began to laugh.


	5. Chapter 5

George and Gracie

Chapter 05

5.1

Ironside tossed and turned as he tried to let sleep overtake him. He knew he needed the rest but his mind was not cooperating. What was it Commissioner Randall had once told him? 'You just turn off your thoughts and go to sleep.' Ironside wished he knew how the commissioner managed to do it. He certainly could not.

An hour later, Chief Ironside was still wide-awake. He reached over and turned on the light beside him. Glancing down, he checked to see where Mark had left his chair. Most of the time Mark left the chair within his reach but occasionally he moved it just out of Ironside's reach hoping to keep him in bed. He knew Mark's concern was to see that he got what Mark considered the proper rest. Maybe he thought Ironside would think twice about getting back up if he had to wake him. Well, he was wrong. "Mark! Mark!"

Drawn out of his slumber, Mark got up. Not bothering to put on his robe, he left the comfort of his warm bed and headed to see what his boss wanted. When he arrived, he found Ironside sitting up with both hands on the bar above him. "Yes, Chief." He reached up and tried to wipe the sleep out of his eyes.

"Get me out of this bed."

"Chief, it is two thirty in the morning. May I remind you that you just got into bed at one o'clock?"

"I cannot sleep. I want to get up. Why do you persist in placing my chair out of my reach?" Ironside complained.

"You need the sleep. I was hoping you would stay in bed if you could not reach it." Mark shook his head and helped the detective into his wheelchair.

"It did not work, did it?" Ironside said sarcastically.

"Obviously not."

Once in his chair, Ironside wheeled over to the window. He looked out over his beloved San Francisco. He had worked hundreds of cases in his time as a detective but never anything as strange as this one. Oh, why had he not told Gillian Taylor that she would have to be satisfied with officers he assigned? Ironside hated wasting time. Time was a commodity you could never get back. He could have been working on unsolved cases that needed his attention. Instead, he was wasting his time with people who either believed they were from the future; in which case they were nuts or they were telling a ridiculous story in an attempt to steal two whales that weighed tons, which was latterly impossible. Either way he was wasting his time.

A mug of coffee appeared over his shoulder. He had been so lost in thought that he had not even heard Mark approach. "Thanks, Mark." The detective took a sip of coffee and looked at his aide… his very loyal aide. How many people would tolerate him keeping them up as many nights as he did Mark? But then again, Mark was more than an aide. He was one of his closest friends, just as Ed and Eve were. Sometimes it just helped to bounce his theories off Mark. "This case is driving me crazy."

"You are taking it far too seriously, Chief. These people are obviously crazy. Just sit back and enjoy it. It is not too often we can laugh at the facts in a case," Mark told his boss.

"Who is laughing Mark? Just a minute ago I was thinking how this is a waste of my time but the more I think about it, maybe we should start taking it more seriously. Where did Kirk get that laser gun, if that is what it is? I sent it down to the police lab and they have never seen anything like it. They cannot even identify the technology."

"What about the communication device?"

"They can't identify that either. They do not even know how it can work. Nothing in it is familiar with anything they have ever worked with." Ironside continued to look out the window with a frown on his face.

"Could it be military?" Mark pondered.

"I called President Whitmore's chief of staff… you know, Artie Hinson. The president had it checked out as well. They do not even know what it is. They said there is no known technology on earth like it. It has them worried that Russia has developed something new."

"Why the Russians? It could be China," Mark offered.

"Chekov is very obviously Russian."

"But from everything else we have learned Scott is from Scotland, Kirk is from Iowa, Sulu is Japanese and McCoy has a southern accent, an American southern accent. The black woman's identity is still a mystery. So far no one has seen her but George, the beat cop."

"Americans have been known to turn traitor and work with the Russians before," Ironside offered in a way of an explanation.

"So what are you saying, Chief? You think they are trying to steal technology? That does not make sense since they have technology even the government admits they don't know what it is."

"That is what bothers me."

"So what are you going to do?" Mark inquired.

Ironside sat quietly for a minute. "Mark, call downstairs and tell them to bring Kirk up here."

"Chief, it is nearly three o'clock in the morning," Mark protested. "Can't this wait until morning?"

"It is morning," his boss snarled.

Mark got up and reached for the phone. "Chief Ironside would like the prisoner, James Kirk brought up here. Yes, I can tell time too, Officer." Mark slammed the receiver down on to the base. "He is on his way up, Chief."

A few minutes later Officer Duffy opened the door and entered with Jim Kirk. The admiral came down the ramp and sat down beside Ironside, who had moved to the main table.

"You don't sleep well when something is bothering you, do you, Chief Ironside?" Kirk asked.

"What makes you think so, Mr. Kirk?" Ironside responded, his tone gruff.

"Well it is almost three in the morning, hardly a normal hour for interrogations is it?" Jim Kirk said with a smile.

Ironside ignored Kirk's reference to the time. "We are going to have a little talk. Your answers are going to determine what I do with you later in the morning."

Kirk sighed. "That is probably bad news for me. You are not going to believe anything I tell you."

"Then you are going to stick to this ridiculous story?" Ironside snarled.

"I have no choice. I was not expecting to be picked up by you. I did not have a plausible exaggeration ready for you. You are too sharp for me to just make it up on the spot." Kirk again smiled.

"Exaggeration?" Ironside asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, Mr. Spock is a Vulcan. You see, Vulcans cannot lie. Therefore I have taught him over the years to… exaggerate."

Ironside rubbed his temples. "You do not seem to understand the gravity of the situation you are in, mister," Ironside said raising his voice.

"On the contrary, Chief Ironside, I understand it well. You have kept me from communicating with my ship. I have no idea how my team is doing. Since you have Chekov in custody, I have to assume he was unable to collect the photons to re-crystalize the dilithium crystals. The Klingon crystals are giving out. By tomorrow we will no longer be able to keep the ship cloaked."

"Cloaked? What the hell is that?"

"Invisible, Chief," Kirk said.

"An invisible ship… how silly of me not to know that." Ironside was once again slipping into sarcasm.

"Don't you think I realize how ridiculous this all sounds to you? I have spent the better part of my time tonight sitting in your cell trying to think of some way to get you to believe me without revealing so much as to do you harm," Admiral Kirk said.

"You are hardly in a position to harm me, Mr. Kirk so why don't you just try me?"

"I can't. I took an oath not to interfere with primitive cultures. Too much knowledge of the future can be dangerous. I cannot take a chance of you altering our future. I would be violating the prime directive."

"And our culture is primitive?" Ironside's voice betrayed what he considered an insult.

"Compared to the twenty third century, yes, it is."

"If I were to believe your fantasy, it seems to me that you are attempting to alter the future, Admiral," Ironside countered.

"Not alter, Chief Ironside, "setting it straight. My world will cease to exist if I fail. It was your culture that caused the extinction of the humpback whales, not mine. It has become painfully obvious that the earth will not survive any longer without them in my century."

"So, you are going to take two humpback whales back to the twenty third century, save the world and become a big hero," the detective said with more sarcasm.

"Actually no. My crew and I will save the world but when we return we all face charges. We will probably spend the rest of our lives in what you call a prison."

"And what would the charge be? Time travel without a passport?" Ironside snarled.

"What is a passport?" Kirk asked. Mark, who had been supporting a grin on his face, had once again started to snicker.

"Mr. Sanger, don't you have anything to do?" Ironside said, raising his voice.

"Absolutely nothing, Chief. Remember, you got me up," he said, grinning.

Turning his attention back to Admiral Kirk, he said, "I know I am going to regret this but exactly what charges are you facing when you Quantum Leap back home?"

Kirk suppressed a smile. He knew how frustrated Ironside was and he already had seen enough to know this was not a man to fool with. "It would probably be better if I did not tell you, Chief."

"Do it anyway."

"Theft of Federation property, willful destruction of said Federation property, sabotage of the starship Excelsior and disobeying orders of the Starfleet commander."

"Oh, I thought you were going to say you broke a law by eating a Milky Way." Ironside said with a serious look.

Kirk looked confused. "We travel the Milky Way, Chief. We don't eat it."

Mark chuckled. "You should try one, Admiral, they are delicious." Confusion re-appeared on Kirk's face.

"I would have thought Snickers was more to your taste, Mr. Sanger," Ironside snapped at his aide.

"I don't recall any galaxy being referred to as Snickers in this century," Kirk said with a frown.

Ironside lifted his fist in the air. Both Sanger and Kirk cringed as they prepared for that fist to hit the table with force. It never came as Ironside lowered it, his face beet red. He forced a smile. "What caused you to do such things to be charged with these crimes?" _Why am I asking these stupid questions? _

Kirk knew the more he told Ironside, the more convinced the detective would be that he was crazy. He just did not know what else to do. He could hope that Spock and Scotty got the transporter running. If they could locate him, they could transport him up to the ship right under Ironside's nose. In the meantime, there wasn't much he could do except answer Ironside's question and hope that he could convince him he was telling the truth. He wished Spock were here. Ironside was more like him, very brilliant with tremendous knowledge stored in that brain. Both used logic and neither seem to smile. However, Ironside did not hesitate to show emotion. In fact, Kirk wondered if he had an anger problem.

"You are not going to believe me," Kirk said. He saw the look on the detective's face and decided not answering him was out of the question. "Alright, just remember you asked. Spock died, saving the Enterprise in a fight with Kahn. We sent his body down to the Genesis planet."

"Genesis planet?"

"Yes, it was created by the Genesis torpedo."

"A planet created by a torpedo."

"Yes. You see the Klingons tried to possess its secret. In the process they killed my only son, forced me to blow up the Enterprise, which we had stolen. And, it was all for nothing as the planet was unstable and eventually broke up. We found Spock there."

"But you said he died saving the ship."

"His body was somehow affected by the Genesis planet. He… sort of grew up again.

"You see what I did not know was that he placed his katra in Doctor McCoy through a mind meld just before he died. Anyway, we took them both back to Vulcan where they were able to remove Spock's katra from McCoy and put it back into his body. Are you following me so far?" Kirk asked Ironside. He glanced at Mark who had retired to his room but it was obvious he was still listening as he was rolling on his bed, laughing and holding his side.

Robert Ironside just stared at James Kirk. _This man is certifiable. "_Mr. Kirk, if you tell this story to anyone else, they will put you in the nuthouse, lock the door and throw away the key.

"You asked." Kirk grinned. "Chief, you really should consider force fields. They are far more effective than keys."

Ironside put his head in his hands. Exhaustion had set in and if he did not know better, he would have sworn he was dreaming… a bad dream… no, a nightmare.

"Any more questions, Chief or are you returning me to my cell?" Kirk asked.

"Let's just say for the sake of argument that everything you have told me is true… "Ironside began.

Kirk smiled again. "I am winning you over."

"I said for the sake of argument, Mr. Kirk. Only a moron would believe that cock and bull story."

"Like I said, you asked," Kirk said.

"Again for the sake of argument, let's say what you are saying is true. Put yourself in my place, would you believe it?" Ironside asked.

Kirk looked Ironside straight in the face and said, "I would throw me in the brig, turn on the force field and throw away the off switch." Kirk grinned at Ironside. "So, we are back where we started."

"Kirk, I have had no sleep. The commissioner is being pressured by the defense department, and by the way he was not happy about being shot with that ray gun."

"Sorry about that Chief but I did warn you," Kirk pointed out.

"Then there is that ray gun, mind you, that the police lab and the military says to their knowledge contains technology that does not exist on this planet and… "

"There is the crux of your problem. It does not exist on this planet… at least not in this century."

Ironside shook his head and rubbed his temples. "I know, I know, it exists on earth of the twenty third century."

Kirk smiled and shook his head. "Actually, no. The disruptors exist in the Klingon Empire. We use phasers but the technology is similar."

Ironside put his hands up in mock indignation. "Pardon me, Admiral, for making such a silly mistake."

"It looks like we have reached an impasse, Chief. I have a suggestion. Would you like to hear it?"

"Oh, by all means, Admiral," Ironside said crossing his arms across his chest.

"If I could produce one piece of evidence that would be impossible in this century, would you at least try to believe the rest of my story?" Kirk asked.

"Just exactly what do you have in mine?"

Kirk looked down at Ironside's wheelchair. "How long have you been in that chair?"

"A few years now. Why?"

"Since you are a police detective, I assume you were shot. Well, actually I know you were shot. Sulu told me. I take it there is nothing they can do for you?"

"The bullet severed my spine. The condition is permanent," Ironside answered.

"What would you say if I told you that in my century no one is ever confined to a wheelchair?"

"I'd say hold a spot on your ship for me. I'll go back to the twenty third century with you," he answered with the ever-present sarcasm.

"You will do well in my century, Chief but I don't think Spock could handle the competition."

"So what is your point, Kirk?"

"If I have Doctor McCoy repair your spine and you are able to get out of that chair and walk, then will you help me?"

"Oh by all means, Kirk. I'll help you steal those whales and I'll go back with you, mind meld with George and Gracie… no wait better yet I'll tell that probe to go to hell myself," he cried. "Tell me can you get rid of the pain in my back and do something about this splitting headache you are giving me?"

Kirk looked at the tired detective. All he had to do was get his word on it. Ironside would keep it. It was a small price to pay. Ironside controlled the police department. He could keep them at bay while he and his crew finished their work and better yet a good man would have the use of his legs again. "So do we have a deal, Chief?"

"Oh by all means," Ironside barked.

"I have your word then?"

"You still take a man's word in the twenty third century?"

"Not if you were a Klingon," Kirk said and grinned again.

"Okay, Kirk. Heal me! But I want your word on something."

"What?"

"If I don't get out of this chair and walk, you drop this ridiculous spaceman routine and tell me the truth."

"We have a deal, Chief. "Where is the communicator, you took away from me?"

"Downstairs in the evidence room."

"Can you have it brought up?"

"Mark!" Sanger entered the room. He had tears streaming down his face, which still supported a grin. "Go down to the evidence room and pick up Kirk's cell phone."

"Cell phone? What is a cell phone?"

"A communicator with the added feature of the internet. I am surprise you are using a communicator. We have you beat. You would not believe what a smart phone can do these days," Ironside said in a raised voice.

"Hmm… I will have to have Spock check the computer banks. A smart phone, you say?"

Mark left the office and returned twenty minutes later with the communication device. He handed it to Kirk. At the same time, he pulled a gun out of his suit pocket. "This is not as fancy as your ray gun but it gets the job done," he said, raising his eyebrows.

Kirk took the communicator and contacted the Bird of Prey. "Kirk to Spock."

"Admiral, are you alright? We have been concerned about you."

"I am fine Spock. Is Doctor McCoy there with you?"

"Yes, Admiral."

"Doctor McCoy," Kirk said addressing the ship's doctor.

"Jim, where the hell have you been? Uhura returned to the ship but Chekov is missing. We have not been able to locate him yet."

"Later, Bones. Listen carefully. I am sitting here with Chief Ironside. "

"Ironside! You mean Sulu's Ironside?"

"That's right Bones. He was shot several years ago. I want you to bring him a pill that will repair his spine."

"Jim, what the hell is going on?"

"Never mind Bones, just do it and beam to my coordinance.

"Admiral, I am reluctant to beam anyone else down," Spock said. "We still do not know where Chekov is."

"That's an order, Mr. Spock."

"Just a damn minute Admiral."

Kirk shook his head. "Spock, what did I say about the colorful metaphors?"

"I believe you said… "

"I told you not to use them."

"The hell you did, Admiral. You suggested I not use them."

"Spock, how's Scotty coming?"

"Is he going somewhere, Admiral?"

"Spock the whale tank and the dilithium crystals?"

"The whale tank is done sir but the crystals are still crystalizing."

"Well done! One last thing. You are to come down unarmed."

"Jim!" McCoy protested.

"That's an order. Re-materialize outside of Chief Ironside's office. Kirk out." He handed the communicator back to Ironside.

"You are going to play this to the hilt, huh?" Ironside asked.

'I am going to keep my word, Chief and then you will keep yours.

The door opened. Eve and Ed came down the ramp. "Chief, how come you are not dressed?" Eve asked.

"Mark, come with me. Ed, you keep an eye on Flash Gordon." Ironside wheeled into his bedroom. Mark followed him in and closed the door.

"Who is Flash Gordon?" Kirk asked.

"A science fiction character," Eve told him. A few minutes later Ironside returned in a suit and tie.

There was a knock on the door. "Ed!" Ironside called out. Sgt. Brown went to the door and opened it. Three men walked in and came down the ramp.

"What are you two doing here? I only asked Doctor McCoy to come down," Kirk demanded.

"Admiral, I felt that I might be needed since you said Doctor McCoy had to come down unarmed.

"What's Sulu doing here?"

"He wanted to meet Chief Ironside," McCoy said. "Come on Jim! After all the years he has been talking about the hero of San Francisco, you really didn't think he would stay aboard the ship?"

Sulu was grinning from ear to ear. He walked over to Chief Ironside and said, "Chief, this is a great honor. I have studied all of your cases."

Ironside barely notice the Japanese officer. He along with Ed, Eve and Mark were staring at the man in the white robe. Spock was standing before them without the ban around his head, pointed ears, green skin and eyebrows that grew upwards.


	6. Chapter 6

George and Gracie

Chapter 06

6.1

"Chief Ironside, I would like you to meet the ship's doctor, Leonard McCoy. Your admirer there is Commander Sulu. And this is Captain Spock."

Ironside and his staff continued to stare at Spock. Kirk smiled. "I was telling you the truth, Chief. We are from the future. You are getting your first look at an extra-terrestrial. Mr. Spock is from the planet Vulcan. It is too far away for the technology of your time to see."

"Do you expect me to take your word that this man is being from another planet?" Ironside asked Kirk sarcastically.

"Admiral, if I would be allowed. I brought a tricorder along that has Chief Ironside's life recorded. I contacted the Guardian of Forever. It was quite helpful in allowing us to obtain footage that only Chief Ironside will recognize." Spock walked forward and set the instrument down on the table in front of the skeptical detective. He pressed the button.

An image appeared on screen. Ironside recognized himself as a boy playing cops and robbers with a neighbor boy. The chief was wearing a police uniform with a toy police badge pinned to his shirt.

"Where did you get this?" Ironside asked in bewilderment.

"The Guardian of Forever," Spock repeated. It has all of earth's history recorded. The lives of people who have had a major impact on history have been recorded."

"Did you ever wonder how the guardian knew who would have an impact on history? Just how did that damn thing know whose life to record?" Doctor McCoy wondered.

"I am just a simple cop," Ironside insisted. "I have made no impact on earth history."

Sulu's eyes widen. "Oh but you are wrong, Chief Ironside. You will solve more crimes that anyone one else in history. Your record still stands in our century."

The recorder continued showing Ironside graduating high school. It showed him taking part in college pranks. Ironside watched in fascination as a younger version of himself graduated from college and then entered the police academy.

His throat tighten when his wedding appeared on the small screen and he was reminded of a love long since gone. She was so beautiful and he, so young.

The tricorder continued with the cases Ironside handled as a new detective. The car crash that killed his wife appeared on the screen. Ironside felt a knot in his stomach.

And, as if he did not re-lived it in nightmares, the shooting that cut his legs out from underneath him was now on screen. Ironside shoved the tricorder away from him. "I do not know how you managed to get all of this but it doesn't prove a thing."

Kirk sighed. He could tell that they had struck a nerve. Ironside was clearly upset.

"I told you it would not convince him, Spock," McCoy said.

"It is illogical for Chief Ironside to ignore the facts that we are able to present him with," Spock said calmly.

"You and your logic!" McCoy sputtered.

"Chief Ironside is a logical man," Doctor.

"Chief, now that we have most of them together, would you like to put them under arrest?" Ed asked.

Mark was still staring at Spock. He had seen many strange people since he came to work for Ironside but he had never seen anyone quite like the man in front of him. "Why is your skin green?"

McCoy answered before Spock had a chance to. "Because he is a pointed eared, green blooded goblin!"

"Bones, you are not helping," Kirk said.

Spock walked to the kitchen and returned with a knife he had picked up. As he returned from the kitchen, walking toward Ironside, Eve and Ed drew their weapons and pointed them at him. "You take one step closer to the chief and I will shoot," Eve said.

Spock ran the knife across his forearm, cutting it just deep enough to start it bleeding. Green blood oozed from the wound.

Ironside looked at the man's green blood, raised his hand and said calmly, "Lower your weapons." Ed and Eve did as they were told while they stared at Spock forearm.

"Have you ever met anyone with green blood, Chief Ironside?" Kirk asked. "Does Spock appear to be human to you?"

"Only on St. Patrick's day," Ironside snarled. "And there are many medical mysteries out there."

Than Kirk had an idea. "Bones, heal Spock's wound."

"Admiral, these people have already seen way too much." McCoy complained.

"Do it Doctor. That is an order."

McCoy shook his head. He reached in his bag and pulled out something, placed it against Spock's arm. There was a hissing noise. The wound began to close. Within a few seconds, there was no trace what so ever that Spock had even taken a knife to his forearm.

The door burst open and Commissioner Randall came storming down the ramp. "Bob, what the blazes is going on? You were supposed ..." He stopped when he saw Spock. "Who the hell is this?"

"His name is Spock. He's a pointed eared green blooded goblin," Ironside said, his voice again slipping into sarcasm.

Randall glanced at Spock again and slowly returned his attention back to Ironside. "The defense department is driving me crazy. They demand to know just what the hell is going on." He looked at Kirk and company and said, "Who the hell are these people?"

"The space aliens we have been looking for," Ironside snarled.

Randall rolled his eyes. "Why aren't they under arrest?" Randall demanded.

Ironside had had enough of the last twenty-four hours. He had a headache that would not quit, things he could not explain and he was tired of dealing with these people who all belonged in mental institution ... if there was such a thing anymore. Furthermore, he was tired of his boss's demands and ranting.

Frustration had gotten the better of the detective. "Dennis, they are not under arrest because I am dealing with a Vulcan national. I am having a devil of a time finding anything in police procedures that deals with extradition to the planet Vulcan. There does not seem to be a treaty between San Francisco and Vulcan." Ironside's voice was so sarcastic that even Jim Kirk and his crew, with the exception of Spock were laughing along with Mark, Ed and Eve.

"Bob, this is not funny. The Defense Department is furious. Now put these people under arrest and contact Washington. That's an order, Bob."

Ironside shook his head, rubbed his temples and mumbled, "Where is a ray gun when you need one?"

"The Vulcan nerve pinch would accomplish the same thing, Chief Ironside," Spock said.

"What is the Vulcan nerve pinch? asked Ed.

"It is just something that Spock does to render a person unconscious," said Kirk. "I have tried to get him to teach it to me. Unfortunately it seems that it is something only a Vulcan do."

"Jim, we don't have time for this nonsense. We have to find Chekov, pick up those whales and get the hell out of here. I have had about all of this century I can handle."

"You know, Bones, you kind of remind me of Commissioner Randall," Kirk said.

"Bob! Are you listening to me?" Randall said in a raised voice. "The Defense department is out for blood."

"They won't be when they discover his is green," he said motioning toward Spock.

"Chief, don't you think you should take back control of this situation?" Eve asked trying to calm her boss and redirect his attention.

"Take back control," he thundered. "When have I ever had control of this situation?"

"Bob, enough of this nonsense. Are you going to arrest these people or not?" Randall demanded.

"Bones, I think it is time to do what we promised Chief Ironside," Kirk said.

"Jim we can't do that. This man is an important figure in crime detection. We could change history. We can't take that chance," McCoy insisted.

"We don't have a choice. Spock's tricorder did not work. It is the only way to convince Chief Ironside we are who we say we are."

"We can't do it Jim!" McCoy cried.

"Bob! What are you going to do?" Randall demanded again.

"Take back control. Kirk promised to tell me the truth if he can't make me walk again. So let's get on with it so I can find out just what the hell is going on."

"Oh for cripes sake, Bob. Just arrest them!"

"Dennis, if you don't keep quiet, I'll …"

"You'll what?" Randall challenged.

"I'll have Spock use he Vulcan nerve pinch," Ironside shouted in exasperation.

"Go ahead Bob. Let's just sink into the ridiculous," Randall said sarcastically.

Ironside watched as Spock moved toward Randall. "Be careful what you wish for, Dennis," he said with a smirk.

Spock stepped behind Commissioner Dennis Randall, reached up and placed his fingers where his neck met his shoulder and squeezed. Randall immediately began to drop to the floor. Spock caught him. Sulu moved to Spock's side to assist Spock is setting Randall down in a chair.

"That would come in handy when the chief refuses to go to bed at night," Mark said. "Are you sure you can't teach it?"

Ironside looked at his sleeping boss. "I may be reduced to consulting traffic cops when he wakes up."

"Doctor, may I suggest that Admiral Kirk is correct," Spock said. "The longer we are delayed the chances increase that our mission will fail."

"Isn't there another way?" McCoy complained.

"Doctor, would you like to join Commissioner Randall," Spock asked.

"Gentlemen!" Kirk reprimanded his men.

McCoy reached in to his bag and pulled out a small bottle of pills. He opened it and took one out of the bottle. The doctor placed the pill in Ironside's hand. "Take that Chief, and in about fifteen minutes, it will cause a fusion that will repair your spine and you will be able to get out of that wheelchair. This is against my better judgment."

"You are telling me this little pill will put me back on my feet?" Ironside said in disbelief.

"That is right, Chief Ironside," Kirk said.

"Chief, you can't take that pill," Eve protested.

"We don't have any idea what is in it," Mark complained.

"Chief, it could kill you for all you know," Ed warned.

"I assure you Chief Ironside, it will not kill you. There is nothing in it that will harm you. If will however, repair your spine," Kirk said.

"Okay, Kirk. Since you insist in playing this to its conclusion, I will play along. And when nothing happens, you better keep your end of the bargain."

"It will work, Chief and I will expect you to keep your end of the bargain."

"Eve, get me a glass of water," Ironside said to his policewoman.

"Chief! Ed, Mark and Eve all said at the same time.

"A glass of water, please." Ironside's voice was calm but stern. Eve went to the kitchen and pulled a glass out of the cupboard. Turning on the tap, she filled the glass with water. She returned to the table and set it down in front of the big detective.

Ironside put the pill in his mouth, picked up the water and washed it down. "You have fifteen minutes, Kirk and then I want the truth."

Jim Kirk sat down beside Ironside. He smiled and said, "Chief, you really die hard, don't you? Even after we have provided you with a film of your life, which you know very well, could not have been recorded. Then we presented Mr. Spock to you. You can't explain his green blood or appearance. Then there is the technology we have that doesn't exist in your century and yet you still don't believe a word we are saying."

"Mr. Kirk, I deal in facts. I don't know where you got that film. There was nothing there that indicated it was made anywhere but here on earth not by the Guardian of Yesterday."

"Guardian of Forever," Kirk corrected.

"Whatever. Then we have your technology. The military is experimenting with laser technology. They may not want to admit to me what technology they have developed. In fact, they more than likely would not. They could suspect you of stealing it. It could be why they have been hounding Dennis."

"Next, we have your Mr. Spock's green blood. I could quote to you dozens of medical mysteries. Spock's blood could very well be one of them. So far, Mr. Kirk, there is nothing that can't be explained logically." Ironside said.

"Logic! There is that damn word again," McCoy said. "You and Spock should get along well."

"Your nerve pinch is probably exactly that. A pinched nerve that cuts off the supply of blood to the brain, momentarily, that causes a person to faint," Ironside continued.

"Chief Ironside, would you consider subjecting yourself to a mind meld?" Spock asked.

"Sorry, but I don't think melting down my brain would improve it any," Ironside said, sarcasm returning.

"Meld, Chief, not melt." Kirk smiled. "You should try it, it will be illuminating."

"Oh why the hell not? If your Martian melts down my brain, I won't be aware of it when the commissioner fires me for knocking him out, not once, but twice."

"Vulcan," Kirk said.

"What?" Ironside asked.

"He's a Vulcan, not a Martian," Kirk corrected.

"What's the difference; he's green, isn't he?" Ironside barked.

"The difference is several light years, Chief." Sulu said with a smile.

Spock approached Ironside. He spread his fingers across the right side of his face and then did the same on the other side of his face with the other hand. He began to speak. "My mind to your mind. Our minds are one."

Ironside's head began to spin. Spock opened his mind to him. The detective was transported to another time, another century. A five year mission … to explore strange new worlds … to seek out new life and civilization …. Shore leave where one only need to imagine their wildest dreams … trouble with tribbles, pleasant little creatures that multiply faster than rabbits … a war with the Klingons, stopped by a superior race … transferred to the nineteen thirties to located the doctor. A woman had to die … a civilization based on the Chicago hoods of the thirties … a court martial of a captain, a computer tampered with to ensure his guilt … disobeying Starfleet orders to return Spock to the planet Vulcan to save his life … a sickness turning crew members into a crazed state, spread through contact … a captain, controlled by the tears of a queen promised in marriage in a truce between two civilization … a fight to the death of a captain and a Gorn … Miri, a young woman on a planet of three hundred year old children growing old in an instant as they reached puberty … Ambassador Sarak, journey to Babel with a killer aboard … a creature aboard the ship draining all the salt out of crewman's bodies, the last of her kind … one mission after another … photon torpedoes … shields … on screen … Captain to the bridge … Fire! … Kirk to Spock … He's dead, Jim … the legendary crew of the Starship Enterprise reunited … Kahn almost destroys the ship … the death of Spock … the Genesis planet … The search for Spock … Katra removed from McCoy … Spock lives ... the probe … a dying planet … humpback whales … time travel … San Francisco.

Spock broke the mind meld. Ironside came out of it. He sat there not moving, not speaking. He simply stared at Spock.

"Chief!" Ed yelled. "Are you alright? What did you do to him?" Eve and Mark were at his side.

"I assure you, your chief is unharmed," Spock told the detective's staff.

"What was that?" Ironside said. "Brain washing?" He continued to stare at Spock.

"I simply allowed you to see the future, ours in particular. What we will lose, what the future of this planet holds if you refuse to help us," Spock told him.

Ironside had a cramp in his leg. He reached down to ease it. Rubbing his calf to release it, he realized he could feel the rubdown he was giving it. But, that was not possible. He had no feeling in his legs. Why then could he feel his calf? If only he could just stretch his leg, rubbing it was not relieving the cramp. Without realizing what he was doing, Ironside stretched his leg out in front of him.

Eve gasped, shocked. Mark stood up, his eyes staring at Ironside's outstretched leg. Ed ran to Ironside's side. "Chief, you just moved your leg. I saw it!"

Kirk smiled. "The pill is repairing your spine. It won't be long and you will be able to get up out of that chair."

"It's not possible. The damage was permanent," Ironside said quietly, looking at his out stretched leg. He concentrated and lifted the toes on his other foot. Within a few minutes, Ironside had feeling from the top of his legs clear down to his toes. He stretched the other leg and bent his knee several times. Ironside had complete control of both legs.

"Unlike in this century, Chief, you will not have to learn to walk again. The repair is complete and it will signal the brain of the change. You will be able to stand up and walk away from that chair," Doctor McCoy told him. "Go ahead, give it a try.

"It is not possible," Ironside said again.

"Oh but it is, Chief," Kirk said. You are in the hands of twenty-third century medicine. Go ahead, Chief. Get out of the chair."

Ironside used his foot to move the foot pedals out of his way. He locked the break on the chair. He glanced over at Ed, Eve and Mark. Eve had tears in her eyes. Setting his feet down on the floor, he placed his hands on the arms of the chair and pushed himself to his feet. Ironside stood on his own two feet for the first time in years.

Eve began to cry. Both Ed and Mark watched their boss in awe as Ironside pushed the wheelchair back. He walked over to the ramp and back. It was as if he had never been shot. Years melted away and Ironside had his legs back. Eve ran to him and hugged him. He put his arms around her and kissed her cheek. Mark and Ed were both at his side. Each man gave him a hug.

"I don't believe it," Ed said. "If I wasn't seeing it with my own eyes, I would not believe it."

Mark had not said a word. He just stared at his friend. "Well, Mr. Sanger? Don't you have anything to say?" Ironside barked.

Mark grinned, "Yeah, I'm out of a job!" Eve and Ed laughed.

"Not a chance, Mr. Sanger. You are not getting off that easy."

"Chief," Kirk called out.

Ironside turned from his friends and looked at Kirk. "Everything you have told me has been the truth."

"Yes, Chief, it is. Now it is time for you to hold up your end of the deal."

"What is it you want from me?" Ironside asked.

"Sit down, Chief," Kirk said with a smile.

"I have been sitting down for years. I would rather stand."

McCoy and Sulu smiled. Spock stepped forward. "Unfortunately, we have drawn attention we had never intended. Everyone in your legal forces will obey you. We need your help getting past them."

"It is not going to be that easy, Captain Spock. The Defense Department is aware of your presence here. It will have to be done in such a way that no one knows we are helping you."

"Then you will help us," Doctor McCoy said.

"I gave Admiral Kirk my word," Ironside said. "Besides, if I don't help you this planet has no future."

"Chief Ironside, can you turn our communicators and phasers back over to us?"

Ironside nodded to Ed who picked them up and handed them to Kirk. "Now, I will need you to come back to the ship with us for the rest of the plan and we have to find Chekov."

"I know where Chekov is," Ironside said. "Mark, pull the van around."

"The van is not necessary. There is a quicker way," Kirk said. "Sgt. Brown, I would appreciate it if you and Officer Whitfield will stand by. You will be needed. But right now, we are going to take your boss with us."

"Chief, if you would step over here with us," Spock said.

Ironside walked over to the spot and stood beside Admiral Kirk. Kirk pressed a button on the communicator and said, "Kirk to Scott."

"Scott here, Admiral."

"Five to beam up."

"Stand by Admiral."

Mark, Ed and Eve watched as Kirk, his crew and Robert Ironside disappeared before their eyes.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Some of the dialogue in this chapter is taken directly from the movie, Star Trek, The Voyage Home. To be absolutely sure no one gives me credit for the lines and credit is given to those that wrote the script for the movie, all dialogue taken from the movie will appear underlined. Although the actions will not be underlined, it is the action of the cast, described in my words. I DO NOT WANT TO TAKE CREDIT FOR ANYTHING THAT WAS SAID IN THE MOVIE. I ONLY USED THE DIALOGE IN ORDER TO INCORPORATE IRONSIDE INTO THE SCENES. NO COPYRIGHT OF THE MOVIE IS INTENDED.

George and Gracie

Chapter 07

7.1

The last thing Robert Ironside remembered was standing in his office. He felt a bit dizzy and Mark, Ed and Eve disappeared in front of him. He no longer could see the familiar surroundings of his office. Materializing in front of his eyes appeared to be some type of ship. Every fiber of his being was fighting against believing what he was seeing.

Ironside had always dealt in facts his entire career. If someone had tried to tell him that time travel into the twenty third century was possible he would have written them off as certifiable. It was extremely hard for him to except everything he had witnessed in the last twenty-four hours. However, Ironside could not deny the facts ... technology that did not exist in this century ... a man with pointed ears and green blood, able to look into one's mind and share his with another ... and most of all, the pill that had repaired his spine. Ironside looked down at his feet that were squarely planted underneath him and two previously useless legs that were now supporting his large frame. Those were the facts and he could not deny them.

He had conflicting emotions about helping these people. As an officer of the law, his duty was to turn them in. They were wanted by the US government. He was in essence helping them escape the law. That went against everything that he believed in. Yet the formerly wheelchair bound detective knew he would do everything in his power to help them escape his own police force. After all, the government did not have any idea what was transpiring in the twenty third century and he could not tell them. The results would be him being locked in a rubber room with the key being thrown away.

When Ironside has regained all of his senses, including his balance, he looked around. He stepped down out of the transporter, along with Kirk and Spock. Sulu remained on the transporter pad and was immediately transported out of the ship. Ironside looked at Kirk. The admiral explained. "Sulu has been transported back to the Huey. He will be bringing the Plexiglas back to the ship. It will not take him long."

The ship did not seem to be that big. Standing at some type of control board stood a rather round man in a uniform similar to the one Kirk was wearing.

"Welcome aboard, Chief Ironside," the man said in a thick Scottish accent.

"Chief, this is Commander Montgomery Scott, chief engineer," Kirk said as he introduced Scotty.

"Professor Scott?" Ironside questioned.

"No Chief. That is only what we told the plant manager."

"More believable than a chief engineer of a space ship." Ironside said.

"Aye, Chief. At least more believable in your century." Scotty agreed. "If you will excuse me sir, I have work to do." Scott turned and left.

Ironside continued to look around. "How have you managed to hide this ship from us?"

Admiral Kirk smiled. "As I told you, the ship is cloaked. It is a technology that renders the ship invisible. Take a look on the screen."

Ironside looked into the screen. He eyes widen. He recognized the surroundings. "Are you telling me this ship is sitting in Golden Gate Park?"

"That is correct, Chief Ironside," Mr. Spock answered. "The technology of your government in this century is unable to detect the ship as long as it remains cloaked."

"You have developed this kind technology in the twenty third century?" Ironside asked.

"Actually no, Chief." Kirk answered. "The technology is Klingon. Klingons are a very aggressive race. They are not exactly friendly to the Federation and they certainly are not fond of me." Kirk smiled.

"Then this ship is not Federation. Yes, you said you stole the ship after the Enterprise was destroyed." Ironside remembered.

"That is correct, sir," Spock said, treating Ironside as if he outranked him.

"So what do you want to do next?" Robert Ironside asked.

"How about a tour of the ship?" Kirk said.

"Yes," Ironside said. I would like that." Kirk spent the next hour showing the ship to the detective and explaining the technology.

"I wish I could be showing you the Enterprise right now but unfortunately we were forced to destroy her. She was considerably larger than this ship and supported about four hundred crewman," Kirk explained.

Something big enough to support a crew that large would have been much harder to keep a secret," Ironside said.

"Actually it would have been much easier, Chief. You see, it could not land on a planet as the Klingon Bird of Prey did. It would have remained in orbit around the earth. We would have been beamed down in the same manner we brought your aboard." When they arrived on the bridge, Sulu had returned to his post. Kirk led Ironside to Uhura. "This is our communication officer. Uhura, I would like you to meet Chief Robert Ironside of the San Francisco police department."

Uhura's jaw dropped. "But I thought Mr. Sulu said that the detective, Chief Ironside from this century was confined to a wheelchair."

Sulu grinned. "He was until Doctor McCoy fed him one of those pills of his."

"But that is changing …" Uhura began.

"History," Ironside finished for her. "A history that I am happy to have seen altered."

Kirk then took Ironside back to where Doctor McCoy was supervising the lowering of the Plexiglas onto the ship from the Huey, piloted by Sulu who had retuned. Kirk reached out and helped guide the Plexiglas when he heard Scotty yell down from his post at the top of the ship ; where he was also guiding the Plexiglas downward.

Ironside heard a woman's voice he recognized immediately. He looked up at the screen and saw her reaching out, touching the ship.

"Admiral! Admiral Kirk! Admiral Kirk! Can you hear me? They're gone. I need your help. Are you in there?"

"Admiral, we have a problem," Scott shouted down.

Gillian continued shouting at the ship. "Admiral Kirk? Can you hear me?

Ironside pointed to the viewing screen. "It's Doctor Gillian Taylor, Admiral. I think you'd better do something about this. It is not a good idea to draw attention to this ship."

James Kirk walked over to the viewing screen. Ironside was right; he could not allow her to bring attention to the ship. Kirk stepped to the transporter, locked on to Gillian Taylor and started the transport.

Gillian began to feel strange. "Oh my god! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Kirk stepped over to the transporter and waited for Gillian to re-materialize. When she did, Admiral Kirk reached out and took hold of her. "Hello Alice. Welcome to Wonderland."

Gillian, holding on to Kirk in amazement said, "Oh, it's true!"

Kirk smiled and replied, "It's true!"

"What you said."

"Yes, it is," Kirk said. "I'm glad you're here but I must admit you picked a hell of a time to drop in." Gillian slipped as she was still dizzy from the transporter beam. Kirk tighten his grip on her and said, "Oooo, take it easy! We need your help."

"Is this real?"

"Yes, it's real. Take a look." Kirk said. He turned and looked at Chief Ironside and said, "You remember Chief Ironside."

Gillian looked over at the detective who was standing, taking in the scene. Her jaw dropped as she walked over to him. "You, you, I can't believe it. You are standing! How is that possible? You can't walk. What are you doing out of your wheelchair?" Gillian continue to stare at the former crippled detective.

"Ask Admiral Kirk," Ironside smiled. "He has some pretty powerful pills. Sister Agatha has nothing on Doctor McCoy. If she had one of those pills, I would not have given her such a hard time taking the medicine she was always trying to force on me."

Gillian looked back at Kirk. "Is this possible? How can he walk?"

"Twenty-third century medicine," Kirk smiled. "Chief Ironside is going to help us so we simply helped him. Come, I will show you the whale tank. Chief?" Ironside followed, still amazed, himself, that he was walking and not wheeling a chair.

Gillian kept staring at Ironside. "It seems so strange to see you walking, Chief. Seeing you all these years in a wheelchair on television or in the papers … I just can't believe it. They will have to change your nickname from the Ironman on wheels to the Ironman on heels."

Kirk swept his hand at where Scotty was working with the Plexiglas. "Storage tanks for your whales. We'll bring them up the same way we brought you up."

"Admiral, they're gone,"  Gillian informed him.

"Gone?" Kirk asked.

"They were taken last night. I wasn't told. They're in Alaska by now."

"Damn." Kirk said quietly.

"But they're tagged. Like I told you, you can go find them right?"

Kirk turned toward her. "We can't go anywhere.

"What kind of a spaceship is this?" Gillian asked.

"It's a spaceship with a missing man," Kirk replied.

"I believe I can help you with that problem," Ironside said. "I know where he is."

Captain Spock interrupted them. "Admiral, full power has been restored.

"Thank you, Mister Spock," Kirk replied to him.

Spock looked at Gillian Taylor, who was staring at the Vulcan minus the head ban. "Hello, Doctor, welcome aboard.''

Uhura's voice came over the ships intercom system. "Admiral , are you there?"

"Yes, Uhura."

"I've located Chekov, sir. They are taking him to emergency surgery right now."

"Where?"Kirk asked.

"Mercy Hospital.

Kirk turned to Gillian Taylor, "Mercy Hospital?"

"That's in the mission district," Gillian told him.

Kirk looked at Ironside who said immediately, "She is correct, Admiral. Mercy Hospital is in the mission district. I have two men guarding his room."

Uhura's voice was again heard over the intercom, "They report his condition as critical. He is not expect to survive.

"This is where you come in Chief." Kirk said. "You will have to call off those men."

"I can't do that Admiral. That would be too obvious. I would have to answer to a lot of people afterwards and I would not have any answers for them," Ironside said.

McCoy entered the conversation. "Jim, you got to let me go in there. Don't leave him in the hands of 20st century medicine."

Spock added, "Admiral, may I suggest Doctor McCoy is correct. We must help Chekov."

Kirk listened to Spock and replied, "Is that the logical thing to do Spock?"

"No, but it is the human thing to do," Spock said without showing any emotion.

Kirk walked back to Gillian Taylor and Doctor McCoy. "Will you help us?" He asked Gillian.

"How?"  She inquired.

"They will have to be inconspicuous," Ironside said. "Or they will not get anywhere near him. There are only two men guarding his room. But I have others in the hospital. I could not take any chances of losing him with the government's interest in him."

"We will have to look like physicians," McCoy said.

"Chief, can I assume those officers that are guarding his room, will be moved to the operating room?" Kirk asked.

"Yes," Ironside answered. More officers will be on that floor as well."

Kirk sighed. "Bones, we have to get you into that operating room if we are going to help Chekov. "Chief, what do you suggest?"

"There is only one way I can think of getting you into that room?" Ironside replied.

"How?" Kirk asked.

"Doctor McCoy is correct. You will have to look like physicians. There is a laundry room on the first floor of the hospital. The clean scrubs are in a locked room to the right. We have to get you in there undetected."

"We could beam you in," Scotty offered.

Kirk looked at Ironside. "Can we do that without detection?"

"It would not work. That room is kept locked from the outside. You would … what did you call it?"

"Beam," Scott answered. "It is a process …"

"I know what it is Mr. Scott. That's a silly word, isn't it? Beam … What the hell does that mean? By the way, you need to work on the landing. It makes you dizzy." Ironside said in a gruff tone.

"You get used to it, Chief." Kirk told him.

"No you don't. Don't believe a work of it," McCoy said. "Scattering a man's molecules in space and hoping they come back together… I am afraid that damn transporter will mix up the molecules and I'll end up looking like Spock."

Scotty and Kirk smiled as Spock raised one eyebrow. "It could not be worse than ending up being as illogical as you Doctor."

"If it is any consolation, Doctor it can't be any more dangerous than Mark's driving." Ironside shook his head. "I just got back the use of my legs. If you don't mind, I would like to get use to them again before I absorb the concept of beaming. " He looked back at Kirk and returned to the problem at hand. "You would be beaming_, _"he said, raising his eyebrows and emphasizing beaming , "into a room that is locked on the outside." Ironside thought for a moment. "But there is a storage room right next to it that isn't kept locked. You could do it unnoticed."

"That doesn't help us get into the room with the scrubs," McCoy said. "And how do you know all of this?"

"Didn't Sulu say I am the greatest detective of this century?" Ironside answered with a question.

"Couldn't Chief Ironside keep them busy in the laundry room? Everyone in the city knows who he is. They certainly would not ignore him. You could use your … what is that thing called?" Doctor Taylor asked.

"A ray gun," Ironside said. "We better keep Commissioner Randall away from that hospital. I know he will never forgive me if he is knocked out a third time."

"It is a phaser … or more correctly a disrupter," Kirk said. "But that would not work. The laser beam would certainly draw attention."

"But using me," Ironside said, "it would provide the perfect distraction. No one is used to seeing me on my feet. That would provide the distraction to allow time to get in. Make sure there is a wheelchair on hand when we get there." Ironside looked up with a glint in his eyes. "Mark could get in that room. He can pick a lock."

"You have a law officer that picks locks?" Spock asked. "Isn't that a bit dishonest?"

"Everyone has a touch of larceny in them, Mr. Spock. Besides he's not a cop. It comes in handy occasionally where as a cop I can't do what he can. That's it! I will keep them distracted so Mark can open the lock. "You get the scrubs and find a gurney. You can put Doctor Taylor on that gurney and get her past my officers."

"It could work, Admiral," Spock said. "I estimate the chances at nine thousand four hundred sixty to …"

"Three hundred fifty two," Ironside guessed, sarcastically.

"To three hundred fifty three," Spock corrected Ironside.

"Chief Ironside, please tell me you just took a wild guess at that. I simply cannot handle another Spock," McCoy said.

"I'm a detective, Doctor. I deal in facts. The fact is there are three hundred fifty two days in a year."

"What's that got to do with anything?" McCoy protested.

"It also happens to be the number of years I am going to get if I get caught helping your people," Ironside again slipped into sarcasm. "I certainly could not tell them the truth. They would lock me up on a funny farm."

"What is funny about a farm," Spock asked. Kirk rolled his eyes.

"Be sure to tell them to use a force field, Chief. It is more effective," Kirk said with a smile. He looked at Ironside and grinned, "They would really throw the book at you like that for helping us?"

"Without a doubt," Ironside answered.

"I don't understand. Why would they give you that many years punishment? You would not be released …"

"Until the twenty third century," Ironside finished for him with a grin.

"They throw books at you?" Spock asked in confusion. "What books?"

"Crimes for Dummies," Ironside answered with a straight face, looking at Spock.

"I find it illogical to teach dummies how to commit a crime," Spock said.

McCoy, Kirk, and Taylor were snickering.

"Am I missing something?" Spock asked.

"A sense of humor," Ironside barked. "It must have something to do with the green blood."

"I take it back, Chief," McCoy laughed. "You would not be a second Spock at all."

"Of course not Doctor. I don't have pointed ears and I assure you my blood is red."

"That is not an advantage, Chief Ironside. A human is not as logical as a Vulcan." Spock said.

"But you live around humans. Tell me, are you always this logical, Mr. Spock?" Ironside asked.

"Affirmative, Chief?" Spock answered.

"It must be hell being logical in an illogical world?" Ironside said.

"How did you solve so many crimes if you do not use logic?" Spock inquired.

"Crime is rarely logical, Mr. Spock. I deal in facts and the fact is logic is illogical.

Jim Kirk had to turn his head. He knew that Ironside was messing with Spock's mind.

"That is not logical, Chief Ironside. Logical and illogic have opposite meanings. One cannot mean the other."

"Why not?" Ironside questioned. "Would you say that you live logically with illogical humans?"

"Indeed," Spock said.

"Then you are illogical to think that you are logically living when illogic is all around you," Ironside clamored. "Therefore you are not logical at all."

Spock stared at Ironside. "Chief Ironside, it is not logical to continue this conversation," he said indignantly.

"I rest my case! If it is not logical to continue , then it is illogical to ignore the fact that you are not using logic to determine that it is illogical," he said never changing his expression.

Kirk and McCoy were both holding their sides from laughing.

"Sir, how did you logically come to that conclusion?" Spock asked.

"Because I am a detective," Ironside said with a twinkle in his blue eyes. "The best of my century according to you people. So it is illogic for you to question my methods since my record still stands in your century, making it illogical to believe that my detecting is anything but logical." Ironside looked directly into Spock's eyes.

Spock just stared back at Ironside and said nothing.

"I never thought I would live to see the day that anyone could out logic Spock," McCoy said between fits of laughter."

"Chief, I was right when I said he could not stand the competition," Jim Kirk said wiping away a tear in his eye.

"Gentleman, we are even. Now you know what you have put me through the last twenty-four hours. Now let's go and rescue Mr. Chekov. Then I want you all to get the hell out of my town," Ironside said walking over to the transporter. Kirk, McCoy, and Doctor Taylor joined him on the pad.

"Chief Ironside. Since the chance of us ever meeting again is remote. Live long and prosper. It has been … interesting if not illogical," Spock said.

Ironside, Kirk, McCoy and Taylor de-materialized as all four fell into another fit of laughter.


	8. Chapter 8

George and Gracie

Chapter 08

8.1

As Ironside became aware of his surroundings, he could see they had indeed beamed (there was that funny word again) into the utility room. Fortunately for all of them the room was much bigger than he had remembered. There was a knock on the door. Kirk turned sharply toward the door.

"Relax, Admiral," Ironside soothed the starship officer. That will be Sgt. Brown. I made a quick call to him while you were busy with Doctor Taylor." After the initial dizziness, the chief walked over to the door, still marveling in the fact that he was able to maneuver without the help of a wheel chair. He opened the door a crack and verified that it was indeed his officer. Ironside opened the door and Ed came in wheeling an empty wheelchair.

"It's not the quality of the one you used, Chief, but it will serve the purpose. The room where the scrubs are stored is right next door," Brown told his boss.

"Ed, this is as far as you go. I will not be responsible for what would happen to you if this plan fails. I won't risk your career," Ironside said.

Brown smiled and shook his head. "What you are doing is the right thing to do, Chief. And, I would not have a career if it weren't for you. So, like it or not, I am staying. Eve is out there as well. She will assist any way she can.

Kirk smiled as he watched the exchange. It had become obvious that they were every bit as loyal to Ironside as his people were to him. That kind of loyalty only came with the respect of command and a good commander. Kirk even ventured a guess that these people were, like his people, also very close friends. He had no doubt they would do anything for the former wheelchair detective. He did not like changing history but this was one man … one very good man that he was happy to have changed history for.

"Where's Mark?" Ironside asked.

"Out of sight, down the hall," Ed answered.

"Go get him, Ed and bring him back here." Brown obeyed his him without hesitation.

"Alright, Chief. We have gotten this far. What next?" Kirk asked looking at Ironside.

"Chekov has been moved to an operating room. I don't want to alert my people that I am looking for him. It will be up to you to find him after we get you the scrubs."

"But how will you know where we are?" Kirk asked. "We will need you to run interference so that we can get him somewhere that Scotty can beam us all out of here."

"Spock slipped me an extra communicator, Admiral." McCoy handed it Kirk. He took a few minutes instructing Ironside on how to use the device.

"I got it," Ironside said once Kirk finished. "Tell me, can I contact the mother ship with this thing? Ironside said with sarcasm.

Kirk turned back toward Ironside and smiled. "In fact you can, Chief."

The door opened. Mark and Ed entered the utility room.

"Ready when you are, Chief," Mark said.

"Alright, here's what we are going to do. I will keep the personnel in the room busy. Mark will pick the lock. Ed will come and get you. Get in there, Admiral and put on the scrubs. Find Chekov. When you have located him, contact me. Ed and I will run the interference you have requested. Get Chekov somewhere where Mr. Scott can beam all of you out of here. Good luck," Ironside said. "Mark, let's go."

Ironside sat down in the wheelchair. Mark took his usual place behind him. Ed opened the door and Mark wheeled him out of the utility room. When they reached the room with the scrubs, he looked back at Sanger. "Do you have what you need for the lock?"

"Yes, Chief. You know, I gave this up when I started working for you. Now you got me breaking and entering."

"Look on the bright side, Mark. If we get caught, Admiral Kirk can take us forward in time to the end of our prison terms and we'll never have to serve a single day," Ironside grinned.

Kirk laughed. "There will be no dropping you off. The next stop is the twenty third century so I suggest you don't get caught.

"Well if we end up in your century, I guess I just have to take up driving Spock crazy instead of Commissioner Randall," Ironside barked.

"Now this is something I would look forward to," McCoy grinned.

Ed opened the door and Mark pushed Ironside out of the utility room. When they arrived at the room that contained the scrubs, Mark opened the door and pushed Ironside in.

There were two workers and a doctor in the room. They look at the detective as he came in. "Hello, Chief," the doctor said. "Is there something we can do for you?"

"We got an anonymous call. It is believed that someone is going to attempt to steal surgery scrubs to get into the operating room where my prisoner is having surgery.

"Don't worry about it, Chief. They are kept locked in that room back there." One of them pointed behind him.

Ironside looked behind him. "Check the door, Mark."

"Hey Chief, I understand the guy that was arrested on the Enterprise claimed to be from outer space," laughed another.

"Yes, a real nut case," Ironside responded. He began rubbing his leg.

"What's the matter, Chief?" The woman in charge of the room asked.

"My legs have been paining like hell," Ironside complained.

"But I thought you did not have any feeling in your legs?"

"Tell that to my legs," he said gruffly.

The doctor walked over to Ironside. He pulled a small mallet out of his pocket. "Let me see if you have any reflexes in your legs."

"I don't. I can't feel a thing." Ironside complained.

A loud thud sounded from the scrub room just as the doctor hit Ironside's knee with the mallet. "What was that?"

Ironside made a face. "Damn, a cramp!" As the mallet hit his knee, Ironside kicked out his leg and booted the doctor, knocking him down.

The woman worker gasps. "Chief Ironside, you just moved your leg!"

"That's ridiculous. I can't move either of my legs," Ironside said.

"But I saw it, sir. Didn't you guys see it?" Everyone agreed they had.

"Someone is in the scrub room," the doctor said.

Ironside knew he had to draw the doctor's attention away from that room. "This damn chair is so uncomfortable." He stretched one leg and then the other.

"My god, Chief, you can move both of your legs!" The doctor was staring at Ironside.

"What the blazes are you talking about. I can't move my legs."

"But Chief, we all saw it." The woman turned to her fellow worker who all shook their heads again .

"Mark!" The chief shouted. Mark appeared behind his boss.

"Did you see me move my legs?"

Mark shook his head. "These cats must be drinking on the job. I did not see you move them. Besides you can't"

"See, you people are seeing things. What about the door?" Ironside asked.

"Locked, Chief. Just like they said.

"Then everything is okay?" He asked, looking directly at Mark.

"Everything is as it is supposed to be," Mark answered returning the look.

"Let's go and check on the officers guarding Chekov," he told him.

"Chief, wait! I think you should go down to emergency for some x-rays," the doctor called out.

Ironside turned the wheelchair around and Mark wheeled him out of the room with the hospital staff staring after him. When they got outside, Ironside asked, "Where are they?"

"They were headed up to the surgery floor to search for Chekov. They will call when they find him."

"Let's get up there." He looked around. "Where's Ed?"

"He is going to put an 'out of order' sign on the elevator closest to the front of the building on whatever floor they find Chekov. That will ensure they can get him into an elevator fast. Admiral Kirk contacted the ship. Mr. Scott is going to beam them up from the elevator."

"Good idea. No one will see them disappear then. Let's go, Mark."

"Are you going to stay in that chair?" Mark asked him.

"For now. I will draw too much attention if I get out of it," Ironside replied. Mark pushed him toward an elevator.

8.2

Kirk, McCoy and Taylor walked down the hall of the hospital. As they reached the cross hall, Kirk looked at McCoy and said, "We'll try down here, you check there." He pointed down the hall. He and Gillian Taylor headed straight down the hall in front of them

McCoy headed in the direction Kirk indicated. A ways down the hall, he noticed an elderly woman lying on a bed at the wall on his right hand side. He stopped and said, "What's the matter with you?"

"Kidney dialysis," she replied.

"Dialysis? My god, what is this … the Dark Ages? McCoy could not believe it. He reached into his bag, took out a bottle with a pill. "Here, you swallow that and if you have any problems, just call me." He patted her on the cheek and headed down the hall.

He was checking a floor plan on the wall when Kirk and Taylor headed toward him. "He's being held in the security corridor, one flight up," Kirk said. "His condition is critical."

"Come on," McCoy said and the three of them headed for an elevator.

Kirk spotted a man pushing an empty hospital bed. He pushed him away from the it, "We'll take that." Gillian hopped up on the bed and Kirk covered her with a sheet. When they arrived at the elevator, two doctors stood inside as the doors began to close. "Hold the door," Kirk said as he quickly pushed his body in to stop the door from closing.

8.3

Mark pressed the button on the elevator, the doors closed. They waited as it lifted them up several floors. When the doors open, Officer Eve Whitfield was standing in front of the elevator. "Chekov is in the security corridor, on the next floor." She pointed up.

Ironside indicated for her to get on the elevator. Eve stepped inside. "Chief, I don't understand how they can take Chekov out of the hospital in the condition he is in. They don't expect him to live."

"Kirk said McCoy has some kind of gadget that he will put on Chekov's head and it will repair the damage almost instantly," Ironside informed her.

"You believe that?" Eve asked.

"Officer Whitfield, after what I have seen in the last twenty four hour, I now believe in little green men, beaming, Vulcan nerve pinches, mind melds, ray guns, space ships, and pointed ears. So a little thing like instantly curing a man of a torn artery in his head is child's play." Ironside barked.

The elevator opened. "The security corridor is that way," Ironside said, pointing to his left. Mark wheeled Ironside down the hall as Eve followed.

"Eve, go find the other two officers on duty on this floor and send them to the other side of the side."

"What do I tell them?" Eve asked.

"Think of something, Officer Whitfield!" he snarled back at her. She turned and hurried away from them.

Ironside and Mark were wheeling toward the operating room when the door opened. McCoy, Kirk and Taylor came out of the surgery room wheeling Chekov on a bed. He listened to one of his officers say to Kirk, "How the patient, doctor?"

"He's going to make it," Kirk said.

"He? You came in with a she."

"One little mistake," Kirk said. He hurried toward Ironside. "Chief, slow them down."

Ironside wheeled toward the two officers that had run back into the operating room. As he reached the door, they came bursting back out. "They took Chekov, Chief."

"Well, don't just stand here go after them!" Ironside shouted.

The officers both went to Ironside's right in an attempt to go around him. As soon as they did, Ironside purposely turned his chair in the same direction. When they went the other way to avoid him, then he turned back that way. Figuring he could not slow them down at that point any further, Ironside thundered, "What the blazes are you doing? Go after them!"

The two officers took off down the hall. Ironside got out of the wheelchair and ran after them. As they reached the intersection, Ed was coming from the side. He spotted the officers and picked up speed just in time to run smack into them. The younger officer tried to avoid running into Ed by moving to his left. When he did, he tripped over an empty wheelchair that was sitting in the hall. Ed and the two officers fell over one another and down they went.

Ironside could not stop his forward momentum. He crashed into Ed and the two police officers and fell into the pile of San Francisco policemen now sprawled out on the floor. The young officer watched as Kirk and his companions wheeled the bed away as fast as they could. His partner pulled him off the floor.

Both officers noticed Ironside lying on the floor. One grabbed the empty wheelchair and pulled it closer. The two officers picked up Ironside and placed him in the wheelchair. "Sorry, Chief, we didn't mean to knock you out of your chair." They took off after Kirk.

Ed looked down at his boss. He grinned. Ironside laughed and shook his head as he looked down at the chair. "Give me a hand; get me out of this thing." Ed grabbed his outstretched hand and pulled his boss out of the chair and back on his feet. Both men took off down the hall.

On the left hand side of the corridor, two doctors were wheeling an elderly woman in a wheelchair. She was shouting for everyone to hear. "The doctor gave me a pill and I grew a new kidney! The doctor gave me a pill and I grew a new kidney!"

Mark had run up ahead of Ed and the chief. He hooked his foot around the ankle of the one police officer and yanked him to the right, knocking him into the other officer. Both went to the floor again.

Ironside had to jump over them to avoid joining them. Ed had not been as fortunate. He fell to the floor on top of the two men but was on back his feet quickly.

Ironside ran into the wall in front of the elderly woman. When she spotted him, she yelled, "Chief Ironside, the doctor gave me a pill and I grew a new kidney!" She stared in shock seeing Ironside on his feet. With her mouth hanging open, she exclaimed, "Chief, you can walk!"

Ironside smiled at the old lady and said, "the doctor gave me a pill and I grew a new legs!" He bent down and kissed her cheek and took off after the two police officers.

Two more police officers had now joined in the chase from the opposite direction. Kirk and company arrived at the elevator. It, as expected had an out of order sign. It opened as someone got out. Chekov got off the hospital bed and Kirk threw a sheet around him.

Ironside and Ed were now running side by side. "Ed, see the officers approaching from the other direction? Slow them down."

Ed picked up speed. He purposely rammed into one of the police officers who fell into the other. Both of them were rammed against the wall. "Don't just stand there, stop them!" Ed shouted. They regained their balance and took off.

Eve, in the meantime had run out in front of the other two officers to slow them. She succeeded momentarily. They finally pushed her aside. When they saw Ironside running toward the elevator, they both stopped, staring in shock at an upright chief of detectives. Ironside made it to the elevator, pulled his service revolver and pointed it at Kirk. "Hold it right there mister."

Doctor McCoy lowered his shoulder and pushed Ironside into the elevator. He then entered himself. Kirk hit the button and the elevator doors closed. He quickly pulled out his communicator. "Kirk to Scott! Beam us aboard, Scotty!"

"Nice touch Chief," McCoy said with a grin. "Looks like you are going to join us in the twenty third century. Please join Starfleet and I promise you, you will get to bunk with Spock!"

The transporter beam took hold and they beamed out of the elevator.

When the door opened on the next floor, the two officers that had raced down a flight of stairs after it had closed, pointed their guns into an empty elevator.

8.3

When Ironside materialized, he found himself in Golden Gate Park. It looked empty but he knew better. The cloaked Bird of Prey was there even though he could not see it. The only evidence of its presence was the indentation in the grass.

McCoy and Chekov were immediately beamed into the ship. Ironside stood with James Kirk and Gillian Taylor. Kirk turned to him. "We never would have made it out of there without your help, Chief."

"Just find those whales and get them back to the twenty third century. Correct the wrong that my century has done to yours. I only wish that I would know if you made it back"

"We will make it, Chief. You can count on it."

Ironside looked down at his legs. "I am not very good at this," he said with a tear in his eye, "but thank you."

Kirk smiled at the detective. "I would not thank me if I were you. Commissioner Randall will probaby have your pension deactivated."

"Small price to pay," Ironside returned the smile. "Besides now he will have to start paying me."

Kirk put out his hand which Ironside accepted. "I cannot thank you enough, Chief Ironside."

"Bob. I think you have earned the right to call me by my first name, Jim." Ironside said.

Kirk smile at Ironside's use of his first name. "It is too bad we live in two different centuries. We could have been great friends. You would have made an excellent starship captain, Bob."

"And you would have made a losey cop. You have gotten me to break every rule in the book," Ironside grinned.

Kirk and Ironside shook hands one last time. "Can you get back all right or do you want Scotty to beam you back?"

"No thanks. That beaming around is worse than Mark's driving. I'll call a patrol car to pick me up. It will give me some time to think of something to explain just where the flaming hell I have been."

"I hope we haven't caused you too much trouble," Kirk said.

"Nothing I can't handle," Ironside replied. "Good luck, Jim."

"You too and again thank you. I am glad I got the chance to meet you. Goodbye, Bob."

Ironside turned and walked away from Kirk. When he glanced back, Kirk was talking to Gillian Taylor. The detective figured the Admiral was getting the frequency the whales were on so he and his crew could go find them in Alaska. Ironside continue to watch them. Kirk pulled out his communicator. He was probably requesting to be beamed up. Ironside had surmised correctly, as the beaming began. Gillian Taylor jumped into Kirk's arms and both of them were beamed into the ship.

Ironside was nearly blown off his feet. He realized the Bird of Prey was taking off. Suddenly the wind died down and everything became calm again. He looked up at the sky. He thought about Gillian Taylor. How would he explain her disappearance? There was only one solution. He decided he had no choice but to call his friend, the president and tell Whitmore about what had happened. As incredible as it would sound, President James Whitmore would believe him. After all, the military had examined the communicators and the disrupters. And then there was the fact that he could walk again. It would help to substantiate his story. It would be the only way to stop the questions and an investigation by the military. The president would prevent it.

Ironside continued walking out of the park to find a phone. He looked down at his feet as he put one in front of the other. He was walking …he was actually walking.

8.4

The last of the military personnel had finally left Ironside's office. He had spent the entire day answering questions from them and then Commissioner Randall. He had convinced them that Kirk and his accomplices had drugged him and left him in Golden Gate Park. Trying to explain Gillian Taylor's disappearance had been much more difficult. Ironside had been able to convince them that she had been working with Kirk from the beginning.

It had taken some convincing but he had been able to get President Whitmore to accept his explanation of the events that had happened. Whitmore promised that although there would be an investigation, he would not be implicated in helping Kirk and his people get away.

Ed, Eve and Mark entered the office at the same time. "I thought they would never stop with the questions," Eve said.

"How many times did they ask the same questions over and over again?" Ed asked.

"Chief, you really owe us big time on this one," Mark said. "Hey, what is that I smell?"

The trio came down the ramp. The table was set and dinner was cooking in the oven. Ironside had six glasses of champagne poured. "I thought we would celebrate tonight."

The door opened and Commissioner Randall entered the office. "Bob, the city council has deactivated your pension. You will now be drawing a full salary. Your position will not change." He walked over to his friend. He looked at Ironside. "I still can't believe it. I trust you will be seeing Dr. Stern."

"Yes, Dennis. Ben has already been on the phone about it," Ironside answered.

"It's all over the news, Bob. You're on the front page … walking into the building. You are the talk of the town."

The door opened and Barbara Jones entered. She came down the ramp and stared at Robert Ironside. "I have heard about it all day but I just could not believe it." Barbara walked over to Ironside who put his arms around her. "I am so happy for you, Bob." She had tears in her eyes. Ironside was having trouble controlling his emotions so he said nothing.

"We all are," Commissioner Randall said. "You're living proof that miracles do exist."

Ed picked up a glass of champagne. "To Chief Ironside." Everyone toasted the former chief of detectives who then served them dinner.

8.5

Ironside sat on the couch with his arm around Barbara, his legs stretched out with one crossed over the other. "We are alone for the night," he said.

"What would you like to do?" Barbara said.

"Go for a walk," he answered with a smile.

She laid her head on his shoulder. "It's a bit late for that, Bob. Why don't we go to bed."

"You won't get an argument from me," he said with a mischievous grin. Ironside got up and pulled Barbara to her feet. They encircled their arms around one another and headed to the bedroom.

"What do you say we watch a movie first," Barbara said. She walked over to the television and turned it on. "How about a nice science fiction film?"

"Huh … there is no such thing as science fiction," Ironside grunted.

Barbara tuned into the Sci-Fi channel. They were playing an old film, one she loved. Ironside was already stretched out on the bed. Barbara got into bed and lay down beside him. She put her head on his shoulder. Ironside reached over and turned out the light. "After the movie …you don't suppose we could …"

She playfully slapped his chest. "The movie first." She looked up into his face. His eyes were already heavy and his breathing had slowed. Barbara knew he would never see the end of the movie. He had not had much rest in the past couple of days and exhaustion had set in.

8.6

The sun had risen and was threatening to invade the bedroom. Barbara awoke laying in his arms. Ironside began to stir. He looked into Barbara's eyes. She was smiling up at him. "Well you certainly conked out immediately last night. You didn't even make it ten minutes into the movie and you were snoring … loudly, I might add," she laughed.

"I don't snore," Ironside insisted.

"You do to snore," she laughed. "What would you like to do today, Bob?"

"There are a lot of things I would like to do including what you promised me after the movie but I have to get up and get ready for work and so do you."

Barbara looked totally confused. "I don't have to work today and neither do you."

"Since when do we both not have to work on a Wednesday?" Ironside asked.

"Wednesday? Bob, are you alright?" she asked him.

He looked back at her with equal confusion in his eyes. "Of course I am alright. Why wouldn't I be?"

"It is not like you not to know what day of the week it is."

"I know what day of the week it is," he said gruffly. It's Wednesday."

Barbara reached over and touched his forehead. "You are not running a fever."

Ironside removed her hand from his forehead. "I feel fine."

"Bob, it is Saturday, not Wednesday. Mark went to stay at Ed's for the weekend. Look, why don't we get up and I'll make you some breakfast."

_Saturday … it can't be Saturday. _"That sounds good." He kissed her and then said, "I will jump in the shower and meet you in a few minutes."

"After breakfast I'll take a shower and then we can decide what we will do today. Now, let me help you."

"Are you forgetting? I don't need any help now." Ironside turned to swing his legs over the side of the bed to get up except …they did not respond. He could not move them. In a panic, he reached down and touched his legs. _I cannot feel them! _

Barbara noticed what seemed to be panic on Bob's face. "Bob, what's the matter?"

"I can't move my legs," he said.

Barbara looked at him with concern. "Bob, of course you can't move them. You haven't been able to for several years. Why do you think you could now?"

"Barbara, what movie did you watch last night?" he asked.

"An old science fiction movie called 'Star Trek IV, the Voyage Home', why?"

"With William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy?" Ironside asked.

"That's right. The one where they go back in time to retrieve two humpback whales. It's my favorite of the Star Trek movies."

"A dream … it was all just a dream," Ironside muttered. "I can't walk." He knew that people who fell asleep in front of a television quite often dreamed they were in the movie or television program that was on. That is what happened.

"Bob are you alright?" Barbara asked him, concerned.

"I'm fine, Barbara. Pull my wheelchair over to the side of the bed, would you please?"

Barbara did as he asked. She placed her hand over his. "You had a nightmare last night?"

"No, not exactly, but I did dream I could walk again."

"I'm sorry, Bob," she said, squeezing his hand.

Ironside smiled. He kissed Barbara and said, "Don't be. It was fun while it lasted. I think I know what I want to do."

"What's that?" she asked.

"Watch the movie with the humpback whales. I have never seen it before."

"We have the entire weekend alone together and you want to watch that movie? Why?"

"To see an old friend," Ironside said with a smile. "To see if he succeeded."

The End


End file.
